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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23515216">RIPPLES IN THE WATER - HANZO SHIMADA/JESSE MCCREE</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Joseikage/pseuds/Joseikage'>Joseikage</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Overwatch (Video Game)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alcohol, BDSM, Blood and Gore, Blood and Injury, Canon-Typical Behavior, Canon-Typical Violence, Death, Falling In Love, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Love, M/M, Murder, Sex, Tsundere Hanzo Shimada, Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-20 05:42:10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>40,552</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23515216</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Joseikage/pseuds/Joseikage</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Hanzo Shimada, a lone archer who struggles with the ghosts of his past, finally comes to grips with the fact that his brother is alive and the world is going to hell. He realises that he needs to step up and become more than just some assassin-for-hire, so he offers to join Overwatch. However, his guilt eats away at him every passing moment he spends with the Overwatch team; with his brother, Genji. Meanwhile, Jesse McCree, the rugged, gunslinger outlaw who had just finished rescuing and freeing Echo, another Overwatch agent, reflects on the Overwatch he used to know. McCree also recalls the bad he had done in the past, and wonders if he deserves anything good. He yearns to return to Overwatch, but feels as though he doesn't deserve to and will only cause trouble for everyone with his outlaw status anyways should he return. In a twist of fate, the two of them are brought together by their similar situations, though they both refuse to admit how similar they really are. Will they embrace those similarities and see the reflected image in each other, or will it be like making ripples in the water of a pond?</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Jesse McCree/Hanzo Shimada</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>39</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. JESSE MCCREE ACT 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I don't own Overwatch, it is owned by Blizzard! However, I do own this story, minus the direct quotes I made in chapter 3 and 4, and the characters. I also made a reference to the comic "Petty 20" by Gunslaughter Art. I'll put an annotation at the end so ya'll can see what is not mine. :)</p><p>DISCLAIMER: In this chapter there is some reference in a character's past to child abuse and a witnessed murder. Just wanted to warn about possible triggers. &lt;3</p><p>HEYO! So I hope ya'll enjoy this story. It's my first McHanzo fanfic, but I really love the ship because I find it wholesome lol but that's just me. I hope you guys enjoy it, Chapters 1-4 are backstory for McCree and then Hanzo that lead into the main story plot. I try to keep this canon with a few things I threw in that could potentially be possible. I love me a good storytelling experience and I love to wrap the reader up in it and make them feel things, so I hope this is a good experience for everyone! :)</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>   A puff of smoke filled the air as Jesse McCree breathed deeply on his cigar and exhaled. He was watching the local news, which reported a lot of Deadlock Rebels activity. It was the old gang he used to be in. They were notorious for weapons smuggling and stealing military hardware.</p><p>
  <em>   Damn, I really can’t ever escape the past, can I?</em>
</p><p>   He scoffed, reached over for the remote, and flipped the channel, expecting to find some other form of entertainment, but instead, he got a show about outlaws riding on horseback and robbing banks.</p><p><em>   I put my past behind me, but I just keep gettin' reminders… </em>He sighed and changed channels one more time. <em>Oh? This looks promising…</em> It appeared to be a romance about a young couple that was running away from someone. They were inside a small house, and the man was pacing back and forth nervously.</p><p><em>   “You need to leave! It’s too dangerous for you here, Rosita!” </em>the dark-haired man told the blonde, doe-eyed woman.</p><p><em>   “I don’t care, Carlos. Wherever you go, I go. I’m by your side with you for better or worse, remember?” </em>she said, smiling brightly at him.</p><p>   Suddenly, there was a bang at their door.</p><p>
  <em>   “Police! Open up, Carlos! It’s time you paid for the crimes you’ve committed! Come out, or we’ll force you out!”</em>
</p><p>   McCree scowled, baring his teeth as he yelled, “Goddammit! Can’t a man catch a fucking break ‘round here?” He turned the television off and threw the remote on the table in frustration before stamping his cigar out in the ashtray and walking out onto the porch.</p><p>   Jesse sighed heavily and leaned against the white, wooden rail, on his elbows, propping his head up with his hands; his right hand Human, while his left hand was a Cyber Prosthetic steel arm with glowing blue lights and a skull design on the top of it that began at his wrist and went up his arm. He stared out at the New Mexican desert that surrounded him with listless, chocolate-brown eyes as his sandy-brown hair and beard was lightly tussled in the dry, gentle breeze.</p><p>   His skin, tanned from years working in the sun as a rancher, as an outlaw with the Deadlock Rebels, and then again spending years on the lam in the desert, gleamed with sweat in the searing heat. His air conditioning unit had broken, and as good as he was with motorcycles and other vehicles, he was terrible with anything else.</p><p>   He stared off into space as he wondered what Overwatch was up to now. A chuckle escaped him, despite the circumstances, as he remembered how he first got recruited.</p><p>   “I was such an ornery little shit, wasn’t I?” he said aloud as he smiled in reminiscence.</p><p>   That day was going like any other. The Deadlock Rebels planned a heist on a small government base that they got good intel on. Ashe, one of the leaders of the gang who was like a sister to Jesse, was busy with other things, so it fell to Jesse to organize the heist and go through with it. They stormed the base and began taking people out one-by-one when suddenly, they were swarmed on all sides by a ton of soldiers.</p><p>
  <em>   Damn, this wasn’t supposed to happen… But it does make for a good time!</em>
</p><p>   He grinned, tipped his hat, and declared, “Alright, boys! Looks like it’s High Noon!” The Rebels who were with him all yelled and yipped loudly, firing their guns and trying to take out the soldiers.</p><p>   From a distance, Blackwatch Commander Gabriel Reyes looked out at the fighting. His dark eyes scanned the battlefield and he stroked one hand along his dark brown, Van Dyke beard. What he saw was a bunch of wayward hicks who didn’t know how to use the weapons they were holding. He groaned in boredom and took his black beanie off, thinking about how pointless it was for someone as qualified as he was to lead this mission.</p><p>   He ran a hand over his buzzed hair and wiped the sweat off his dark, sienna brown-skinned face before putting his cap back on. However, just before he had issued the command to take them all down, his eyes passed over the scene once more and centered on the Rebel that appeared to be their leader. A small grin widened on his face and he wondered if this guy would present a challenge for him.</p><p>   He couldn't have been any older than seventeen and he was wearing a black cowboy hat and fighting fiercely with a six-shooter pistol in his hand as he expertly dodged the Blackwatch Troops’ gunfire with strategic forward and backwards rolls. A low hum of intrigue escaped Reyes’ lips and he stayed along the outskirts of the battlefield, slinking around to get to the fierce fighter. Finally, when he was close enough, he waited for the boy to turn his back before rushing right up to him and placing one of his duel shotguns against his head.</p><p>   Jesse gritted his teeth, recognizing the feeling of the gun against his head, but he remained steady, yanking his head out of the line of fire before whirling his body around and knocking the gun out of Reyes’ hand. Reyes lifted the other gun, but Jesse quickly shot it out of his hand.</p><p><em>   Shit! </em>Reyes thought, jumping behind a nearby crate for cover. He looked at the shipping codes of the crate and laughed incredulously at his luck. It was a new order of temporary shields. He broke open a crate, grabbed one out, and clipped it to his combat vest before hitting the button and rushing out at McCree, who fired at him repeatedly.</p><p><em>   Pretty impressive, Cowboy…</em> Reyes thought to himself as he realized that every single shot McCree had taken would have hit him square in the head. The shield dissipated, but McCree was also out of bullets. <em>Perfect timing!</em> He tackled McCree to the ground and pried the gun from his hand, tossing it to the side. McCree kicked Reyes off of him and stood up, getting into a fighting stance.</p><p>   Reyes matched his stance with one of his own.</p><p>   “What a load of showboating,” he declared with a devilish grin as he stared the young punk down. “Why don’t you stop messing around and show me some <em>real</em> skill?”</p><p>   “After you,” the delinquent goaded him, mock-bowing deeply.</p><p>   Reyes chuckled under his breath and charged him, launching a series of attacks that were all dodged by the Cowboy, and his final attack was countered. As Reyes threw a punch, Jesse dodged it and punched him in the face. Reyes could taste blood.</p><p>   “Alright, Cowboy,” he said, narrowing his eyes while wiping the blood off his lips, “no more screwin' around.”</p><p>   Utilizing the most of his military tactics, he squared up with the cocky Rebel. He knew the kid had skills and would probably expect organized military combat strategy, so Reyes tried something different. With no warning, he sped forward and tackled McCree, delivering a few light blows to him on the ground, and hitting him in the head before restraining him and throwing a pair of handcuffs on him. He walked over and grabbed the kid’s gun, admiring it for a moment before he pocketed it and returned to the outlaw’s side.</p><p>   “You got a name, Cowboy?” he asked, yanking the rebellious teen up by the hair. The cowboy hat flipped off his head.</p><p>   “Jesse McCree,” he said, growling fiercely as he struggled against Reyes, “and it’ll be the name you’ll fear the most when I’m done with you!”</p><p>   “Please… you’re already done,” Reyes countered, picking up the kid’s hat and placing it on his own head. “Eh? How do I look?”</p><p>   Jesse’s eyes narrowed in confusion, but he didn’t say anything. Reyes sighed and shook his head.</p><p>   “Come on… Lighten up, Gunslinger! When we get back to home base, I have a proposition for you.” He slapped McCree on the back and looked around at his troops, nodding in satisfaction as they rounded up the rest of the Rebels. He was amazing to find out that no one had been killed or even seriously injured.</p><p>
  <em>   Then why would he try to take me out? All of those shots at me were lethal… And moreover… how did he know how to dodge a shotgun like that? I’ve gotta meet this kid properly.</em>
</p><p>   Back at the base, Strike Commander Jack Morrison was inside interrogation room A-001 yelling angrily at Jesse McCree while he was being a smartass.</p><p>   “Look, punk, you’re in some deep shit right now. I’m trying to offer you another chance at life!” Morrison yowled.</p><p>   “Yeah? Well, I’m just tellin’ ya where you can shove it,” the cowboy grinned and shot back.</p><p>   Morrison slammed his hands down on the table.</p><p>   “Big. Fucking. Mistake.” He glared down at the smarmy young man and wondered why he even bothered. Then, he threatened him, saying, “Someone else is about to come in here, and believe me when I say he will not be as nice as I’ve been.”</p><p>   McCree sat up and slammed his hands down, leaning closer to the Strike Commander so they were almost face to face.</p><p>   “I <em>love </em>me a game o’ Good Cop Bad Cop… Send ‘im in!”</p><p>   Morrison growled and left the interrogation room, slamming the door behind him in frustration.</p><p>   “That stupid, selfish, egotistical little—!”</p><p>   He was interrupted by Reyes, who let out a low whistle.</p><p>   “Having trouble there, Strike Commander?” Reyes asked in a warm, playful tone of voice, tipping the cowboy hat on his head.</p><p>   “Yeah, the kid is <em>insufferable</em>, Gabe… He’s never going to make a good teammate, let alone, a good <em>soldier.</em> As much as you wanted to recruit him, I don’t think we’re going to be able to.”</p><p>   Gabe stared down at the ground for a moment; his face briefly twisted with regret before he looked back up at Jack with a wide grin.</p><p>   “Well you know what? I think you’re wrong! I’ll bet you 50 Credits that I can get him to join us,” he challenged.</p><p>   Jack let out a loud bout of laughter.</p><p>   “Now, you’re starting to sound like him. Why are you wearing his hat, anyways?”</p><p>   “Eh, you know… New fashion statement? It’s growing on me.”</p><p>   Morrison shook his head and smiled in amusement.</p><p>   “Alright, I’ll take you up on that bet. I don’t know how you’re gonna do it but hurry up. You’ve got ten minutes.”</p><p>   “Ten?” Gabe scoffed as he went to open the door to the room. “All I need is three.”</p><p>   He took the cowboy hat off as he entered and saw the gunslinger lazily sitting at the table; his feet propped up against it as he leaned back in his chair. As much as he tried to put on a strong front, Gabe knew he was feeling anxious. He could see it in his defeated, dull, brown eyes.</p><p>   “Hey there, Cowboy, that was some good fighting out there today. I enjoyed it,” Gabe said, sitting in the interrogation room on the other side of the table and propping his feet up to match Jesse’s relaxed position.</p><p>   “I have a few questions for you out of curiosity though. I’m not here to try to goad you into anything like that asshole who came in a minute ago. I just wanna know why you were so intent on killing me. All those shots you made towards me, aside from when you shot the gun out of my hand, would have been lethal, but the shots you pulled on everyone else weren’t even close to being serious. Also, how did you know that what I had pressed against your head was something you could dodge? It could’ve been anything.”</p><p>   McCree turned his head, refusing to look at the man across from him. His face darkened and a scowl appeared on it.</p><p>   “My daddy used shotguns. I’ve stared down the barrel of ‘em many times, and had ‘em bashed up against the back of my head when he would force me or my mother to do somethin’, and I watched him kill her with it too, so I know the feelin’ of ‘em,” he growled.</p><p>   Gabriel sat up slowly, eyeing the kid with concern before saying, “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to bring those memories back up… but you know, you really are a great fighter, and I’d like to spar with you again sometime. It was fun!”</p><p>   McCree looked up from the ground warily to meet Reyes’ gaze, and as he searched the older man’s eyes, he saw nothing but concern and joviality there.</p><p>   “So, now I <em>am</em> going to offer you something. I know, I know… you’ve heard it before, but maybe you haven’t heard it like this. Or at least, you haven’t heard it from me. You see, I’m the leader of the Blackwatch Strike Team. We’re a specialized group of people who do Covert Ops shit and try to make the world a better place,” he waved his hand nonchalantly as he spoke as though it wasn’t a big deal.</p><p>   “But see… if you don’t choose this deal, you’ll be going away to a high-security prison for the rest of your life. Boring as hell, and you won’t be able to properly get revenge on me for kickin’ your ass. Or, join Blackwatch and you can have every opportunity you want to try and kick my ass. I’ll let you stay with me and my family until we get you set up, and who knows? You might find a really good thing here,” he finished, giving the cowboy a warm smile.</p><p>   McCree stared at the table deep in thought for a moment.</p><p>
  <em>   I don’t have a choice… I need to take this deal. As much as I don’t trust them I—</em>
</p><p>   “Plus, I made a bet with that asshole for 50 credits that I could get you to join, so please, help a guy out, would you?” Reyes added.</p><p>   McCree met his gaze to see a shit-eating grin on his face, and it was infectious. The two of them burst into laughter at the table and McCree stretched his hand over to shake Gabe’s.</p><p>   “I know you’ve already met me, but the name’s Jesse McCree. Lookin’ forward to workin’ with ya, Boss.”</p><p>   “Likewise, and the name’s Gabriel Reyes, but you can call me Gabe, Reyes, Commander, or Boss. Though, by the time you say Commander in a field of battle, someone will have died. The one-syllables work just fine,” Reyes joked. He pulled the cowboy hat off his lap and placed it on the kid’s head. “Welcome to the family, kid.”</p><p>   McCree gave him an honest smile for the first time since he got there, and Gabriel stood up.</p><p>   “I have to finish up a few things. Wait here for just a bit and I’ll have you out of here before you know it,” he promised the young gunslinger as he walked out the door.</p><p>   Morrison sighed and placed the 50 credits into Gabe’s hand.</p><p>   “Pleasure doin’ business with you, Strike Commander,” he said with a mock salute and a wide grin as he walked off.</p><p>   “Gabe, I don’t understand how you did it, but great work,” Jack called after him.</p><p>   Gabe stopped and turned back to him with a half-hearted smiled on his face. He pulled a picture out of his wallet of him, his wife, and kid, and held it up for Morrison to see.</p><p>   “I’m a father, Jack, and he’s just a kid. We were both kids too, once, remember? Try to have more patience with him and not give up on him so easily, alright?” As he turned and walked away, Morrison looked through the glass at the kid thoughtfully and sighed as he knew Gabe was right.</p><p>   Jesse McCree stared out at the desert sadly, yearning for those days to come back, though he knew that realistically they never would. He sighed deeply, walked inside, and grabbed a bottle of Whiskey out of his cabinet, pouring himself a glass. He drank it all in a big gulp and poured himself another.</p><p>   Then, he smiled and joked aloud, “I remember when he deemed me ready for Blackwatch missions… Good times…”</p><p>   He thought back to when he turned eighteen and Reyes knocked on the door to his room and walked in carrying a poorly wrapped present. He chuckled, put down the comic he was reading, and sat up on his bed.</p><p>   “Shit, what happened? Did ya apprehend a cardboard box, Boss?” Jesse joked, letting out a loud laugh. “Did it fight back?”</p><p>   “Shut the hell up and open your damned present, Ingrate!” Reyes griped playfully, tossing him the box. Jesse caught it and was about to open it when Gabe stopped him.</p><p>   “You’ve been with us awhile, Jesse, and I know it’s not what you planned, but we all love having you here, and we hope that you think of us as your family. We certainly think that of you,” he admitted. Then he tilted his head upwards and cringed as he added, “Well… maybe not the ninja. Genji’s a little… preoccupied, but I’m sure he still thinks you’re cool.”</p><p>   Jesse grinned and stared thoughtfully at the package in his hands.</p><p>   “After everything I’ve done, I don’t deserve any of this,” he murmured guiltily, hanging his head. Gabe stared at him sadly, but the kid smiled up at him and added, “But I’m damn grateful for all of it, and… I suppose… Thanks, Reyes. You’ve been the closest thing I’ve ever had to a real father.”</p><p>   Gabe smiled proudly and sniffled as his eyes began to water.</p><p>   “Just don’t start calling me ‘Daddy’ because then I’d really have to kill you,” he joked.</p><p>   “Ha! In your dreams! You know how good I’ve gotten. I can even take you down now, Commander!”</p><p>   “Oh, ho! You’re on, kid. We’ll head down to the Practice Rooms right after you open your present.”</p><p>   Jesse smiled and tore into the box, pulling out a brand-new cowboy hat. This one was a nice, rich, brown with a neat, brass buckle in the front and center of it and two rows of brass bullets adorning it on both sides. Jesse gaped at it in shock and ran his thumb over the insignia on the buckle.</p><p>   “Wow, this is badass! Thanks!” he cried in amazement.</p><p>   “Speaking of which, that’s not all. Look in the box again,” Reyes commanded, fixing him with another shit-eating grin.</p><p>   McCree put the hat next to him on the bed and reached into the box to find a sturdy belt with a bronze buckle on it that said, “BAMF.” He burst into a fit of uncontrollable laughter and quickly put it on. Then, he turned to Reyes and hugged him tightly. Reyes raised his hands up in shock.</p><p>   “Seriously, thank you for everything. If it wasn’t for you, I’d be rotting away in prison. I’m really glad I got the chance to make up for the things I’ve done, and I’m even more glad that I have a family like ya’ll,” he admitted. Reyes sighed, smiled warmly, and wrapped his arms around the gracious young man.</p><p>   “I’m glad you’re here too, kid,” he murmured softly.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. JESSE MCCREE ACT 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I don't own Overwatch, it is owned by Blizzard! This story is mine though and I hope ya'll enjoy it! :)</p><p>I referenced some things and directly quoted some Blizzard content. What I used is in notes at the end :)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>   Jesse McCree sighed as he finished his fifth glass of Whiskey, wishing for things he couldn’t have. He wanted to bring back the dead, he wanted to resurrect the past, and he wanted to reunite his family. Although he was instrumental in bringing back one of their members, Echo, he still wasn’t ready to rejoin the gang. He sighed again and bowed his head as he recalled the quirky little Omnic.</p><p>   Him and Gabriel Reyes didn’t always get along, and one day, after they had fought, Jesse was headed to the practice rooms to let off some steam. He secretly felt guilty about what he had told the Commander before he left.</p><p>
  <em>   “Listen, kid, you’ve gotta straighten up and learn to trust a little! I can only tell you so much… Look, I know I’m not your dad, but—”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>   “Thank heavens for that!” he had yelled as he stormed out, slamming the door behind him.</em>
</p><p>   Young McCree threw his hat down on the ground angrily when he got into the practice room and was shocked when it ended back up on his head. He whirled around, sure that someone was in the room with him, but he saw no one. He threw it across the room this time, letting out a yell of frustration.</p><p>   Blended in with the room, Echo, the Omnic that Dr. Mina Liao created to help make the world a better place, was now staring worriedly at the young man before her, trying to work out how to make <em>his </em>world better. She swooped down and used her ability to make an exact replica of him, from his wavy, sandy brown hair to his combat boots. Then, she tapped him on the shoulder.</p><p>   McCree turned around and gaped as he saw himself staring back at him, wearing the cowboy hat he had thrown across the room.</p><p>   “You see this hat? I love it,” Echo declared in McCree’s voice.</p><p>   “Hey now, that’s <em>my </em>hat!” McCree yowled, rushing over and trying to take it.</p><p>   Echo blocked him, dodging and weaving against his attempts to snatch it.</p><p>   “Then, why’d you throw it away?”</p><p>   McCree stopped and balled his fists; his teeth bared in anger.</p><p>   Echo McCree stopped and stared at him thoughtfully.</p><p>   “I think you should probably talk about your problems. Sit down with me and we’ll discuss ‘em,” the doppelganger said with a shrug, “and who knows? Maybe it’ll help some.”</p><p>   McCree, reeling in confusion, warily sat down with the copy of himself and poked it in the shoulder.</p><p><em>   Shit, it’s real!</em> he thought as his eyes widened.</p><p>   “You know, you gave the Commander a hard time earlier. Care to explain why?” his copy said, crossing his arms. When he didn’t say a word, Echo McCree crossed its arms. “I’ve got all the time in the world, Jesse.”</p><p>   Jesse sighed and ran a hand through his hair.</p><p>   “I… it all feels too real. I have a family now, or at least I think of them as a family, but part of me… Part of me feels like I don’t deserve to be here… I’ve done a lot of things that I can’t change. Reyes is beyond patient with my dumbass self, and I-I know I hurt him with what I said too… In truth, he’s the father I’ve always wanted,” he confessed.</p><p>   Then, he turned to his doppelganger with a fierce expression on his face and snarled, “I don’t know who you are, but don’t you dare go blabbin’ about this to anyone!”</p><p>   “But you <em>do</em> feel a bit better, don’t ya?” the doppelganger responded with a smile.</p><p>   “Yeah, I suppose I do, but… I still feel unworthy of—”</p><p>   “Ah, bullshit,” the doppelganger interrupted, slapping McCree on the shoulder. “If anything, you are <em>beyond</em> worthy of all of this. Your life has been rough, don’t we know it, but now, you’ve finally caught your big break. It’s nothin’ but blue skies from now on. This is your time to shine, but you won’t be able to if you don’t take the spotlight. If you hurt someone, talk it out with them and apologize. If you make a mistake, fix it and do better next time. If you have feelings of inadequacy, confide in the people you trust.”</p><p>   McCree gaped at the wisdom that his doppelganger spouted in his own voice.</p><p>   “Yeah, you’re right,” he finally murmured, “thanks.” He fixed his doppelganger with a warm smile and watched in awe as the illusion faded and a beautiful white-plated Omnic with sleek features and a blue, holographic face appeared, still wearing his hat.</p><p>   She took it off her head with a bright smile and placed it onto his own head.</p><p>   “Hey there, Cowboy. I’m Echo,” she greeted him, extending a hand to him.</p><p>   McCree smiled back at her and took it, holding it gently in his own.</p><p>   “Jesse. Jesse McCree.”</p><p>   Tears began to form in Jesse McCree’s eyes as he swirled the Whiskey around in his glass. He had been on the run as an outlaw for years now, but for the first time in a really long time, he actually felt alone. Not only did he feel undeserving of his Overwatch family; he knew that if he were to rejoin them, it could cause trouble for all of them since he was still a wanted man.</p><p>   He sighed deeply and finished his eighth glass. The Whiskey was hitting him pretty hard now as he sat down on the sofa. He reached over for his home phone and dialed in the number for the local prostitution service. He lived in the outskirts of a pretty small town where there wasn’t much to do. They had a strip center with some small stores in it, a Saloon, a small casino, and a prostitution service called Lucky Stars.</p><p>   “Hey there, it’s Joel Smith. Lookin’ to order,” he said.</p><p>   “Hey there, favourite customer, Joel. It’s Trisha! Would you like the usual?” a flirtatious female voice asked on the other side of the phone.</p><p>   “That’ll do fine, thanks darlin’.”</p><p>   “Oh damn… I’m really sorry Joel… Looks like Tristan is out tonight… Can I get you anyone else?”</p><p>   McCree scratched his head, wondering what it was he wanted instead.</p><p>   “Ah, you know what, surprise me with who it is! Any kink, I don’t care could be anything, hell, even roleplay. But you know, if it is roleplay, I’d like a warrior or soldier or somethin’ neat,” he finally said.</p><p>   “Alright, we can definitely do that, sir. You’re a bit of a ways away, so as per usual, it’s gonna take a bit of time to get to ya. Someone will be there within the hour!”</p><p>   “Thanks Trisha, you have yourself a good night,” McCree drawled as he hung up.</p><p>   He flipped the TV back on and watched cartoons boredly for about twenty minutes until he heard a knock at the door. McCree narrowed his eyes and looked over at the clock before reaching over and grabbing his six-shooter pistol out of the nearby drawer of the end table.</p><p><em>   They got here a bit too quickly for my likin’.</em> He thought suspiciously as he peered through the peephole on his door. A grin spread across his face at what he saw; a stern, Asian man with sharp features, dark brown eyes, and a scowl on his face. His dark black hair was tied up with a decorative scarf of some sort, but several strands on both of the sides of his head flared out wildly, spiking backwards.</p><p><em>   Kinda like a cat’s whiskers… </em>McCree thought, smiling even wider, smoothing his beard out with his hand.</p><p>   The man was wearing some sort of Asian-style clothing that fit his right arm well but exposed his entire left side down to the middle of his ribs. Along that side of his chest was a badass dragon tattoo that wrapped around his muscular arm and stopped at his wrist. His pants were baggy and tucked into metal cybernetic shoes that went up his leg, stopping just below his knees.</p><p>   McCree steeled his face, unsure of what to expect, and opened the door.</p><p>   “I’ve been waitin’ for ya, though I didn’t expect you to get here this quickly,” he purred, “come on in.”</p><p>   The man walked in and narrowed his eyes, nostrils flaring as he glanced around at his surroundings. McCree locked the door once more and sat down on the couch.</p><p>   “I came by motorcycle, so I got here more quickly than most people,” the man informed him, still peering around curiously.</p><p>   “I see. You new around here?” McCree asked the curious-looking man.</p><p>   “Yes,” the newcomer spoke with disdain in his voice, “I have only just arrived in this disgusting, dust-covered town…”</p><p>   “Ah, come on! You get used to it after awhile. By the way, I’m Joel,” McCree said, reaching out to shake the man’s hand.</p><p>   “Hanzo,” he declared, grabbing his hand and giving it a firm shake.</p><p>   McCree grinned, patted a spot next to him on the couch, and poured Hanzo a glass of whiskey before turning off the TV. Hanzo sat down, sniffed the drink warily, and took a sip, gagging and coughing out of disgust. Jesse laughed his ass off for the first time in a long while.</p><p>   “Shit, sweetheart, I can tell you’re new ‘round here!” he joked. Hanzo glared at him and turned his head away.</p><p>   “I am only here for one thing, so let’s get down to business,” he declared in frustration, crossing his arms. McCree leaned back against the couch for a moment, admiring Hanzo’s muscling, his tattoo, his outfit, and everything else about him before grabbing him into his arms.</p><p>   “As you wish, darlin’,” he purred, pressing his lips against Hanzo’s and pulling the scarf out of his hair to let it fall down around his shoulders.</p><p>   There was a flash of movement that Jesse couldn’t even begin to process in his partially-drunken state, and pain tore through his nose, followed by a feeling of heat and a stream of liquid.</p><p><em>   What the hell…?</em> he wondered as he pinched his nose to control the bleeding.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Bits of References I used:<br/>--Reference to the comic "Petty 20" by Gunslaughter Art @gunnslaughter<br/>--Direct Quotes from Overwatch "Dragons" Short Film<br/>--Overwatch "Joel" reference<br/>--I mean... I wrote the actual description of the scene that happened in the Overwatch 2 Teaser, but the actual scene itself belongs to Blizzard lol definitely</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. HANZO SHIMADA ACT 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I don't own Overwatch, it is owned by Blizzard! This story is mine though and I hope ya'll enjoy it! :)</p><p>I referenced some things and directly quoted some Blizzard content. What I used is in notes at the end :)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>   Hanzo Shimada gasped; his dark brown eyes lighting up in recognition at the face of his brother, alive and well, though he was sure he had killed him. He was back in Shimada Castle, the place he used to call home, and standing before him was a Cyborg in a silver, tan, and glowing green suit, who had taken off his mask to reveal his face. That Human face had eyes that were unmistakably his brother’s. History was repeating itself, only this time, the tables had turned.</p><p>   His mind flashed back to the moment of his brother’s death. When their father had died, the other Elders of the Shimada clan tasked him with getting his brother to join him in running the clan.</p><p>   When he had failed, they instructed him to end the life of his wayward brother, Genji, and assume his rightful role as head of the clan. As grim of a task as it was, Hanzo accepted it as his duty. His brother was kneeling in front of the tapestry in the temple, burning incense for their father, Sojiro. He ran a hand through his spiky black hair and sighed deeply; his grey-brown eyes staring sadly at the picture of their father on the floor.</p><p>   “Get up,” Hanzo growled at him, “and go fetch your sword. You wouldn’t listen to the will of the clan, and now you must pay the price!” Hanzo drew his sword and pointed it at him, admiring the craftsmanship of the blade sadly, realizing that he was tainting it by using it for such a bleak purpose.</p><p>   Genji sighed and slowly rose to his feet, turning to face him.</p><p>   “Come on, Hanzo. What are you going to do, kill me?” he asked, grinning jokingly.</p><p>   Hanzo’s eyes narrowed, his brows furrowing as he edged closer to his brother threateningly. The look on Genji’s face turned to one of shock as he realized his brother wasn’t joking back.</p><p>   “Brother, please! I have no desire to carry on the traditions of our clan, but I also have no desire to fight against you!”</p><p>   “Right now, I am <em>not </em>your brother. I am a trained Shimada assassin, and you are my mark. Fight for your life!” Hanzo snarled, charging forward and swinging at his unarmed brother. Genji gasped and dodged swiftly, rushing into the other room and yanking his sword off of the sword rack just in time to raise the sheath up and block a downward slice from his brother.</p><p>   Genji gritted his teeth, straining against his brother’s strength, and kicked him hard in the torso, knocking him backwards so he could draw his sword. Genji got into a fighting stance and mentally steeled himself for battle, prepared for his brother’s attacks. Hanzo snarled and rushed at him, striking once more overhead, but his brother blocked it, coming in to meet him face to face.</p><p>   Genji pushed back hard and took advantage of an opening in Hanzo’s right side. He sliced downwards at his ribs and Hanzo jumped back just in time to dodge it, or so he thought, but he was stunned by the gush of blood that dripped down him as he took a step forward. He looked down to see the tear in his Keikogi and the blood that was pooling.</p><p>   It was at that moment that Genji realized Hanzo had gotten him as well across his shoulder. It wasn’t too deep, but it hurt badly and was bleeding slowly. Genji gasped in fear and rushed out of the room. Hanzo balled his fist and snarled, rushing into the temple after his brother and blocking his path. He flew at him now in a rage, going for every attack he could and pushing his brother back.</p><p>   Genji was mostly defensive, desperately blocking the strikes and groaning loudly as Hanzo got him a few more times on his left arm. Blood dripped down the left side of his body and he began to grow weaker, being kept conscious only by the adrenaline that pumped through him. The blood dripped down to Genji’s hand now, making it harder to grasp his sword. The incense on the floor that he had placed down was knocked aside as they fought, and as Genji’s back pressed against the tapestry, Hanzo knocked his sword to the side and cut clean through his brother’s right arm.</p><p>   “You would not follow the clan with the feet you were given, and you would not raise a sword to slay their enemies. You do not deserve either of those gifts!” Hanzo snarled as he took his sword and sliced through both of his brother’s legs just above his knees.</p><p>   Genji’s body hit the floor hard. He was too weak to let out a scream at the pain he felt, and short, rapid, unsteady breaths escaped him. He watched in terror as Hanzo backed up, holding his sword at the ready once more.</p><p>   “Even so, you are my brother. You deserve a clean death,” he said softly; his voice breaking as tears pooled in his eyes. He raised the sword above his head and swirled it in a diagonal pattern.</p><p>   “竜が我が敵を喰らう!” he shouted. The dragon tattoo along his arm glowed brightly with energy that spread down his fingertips and through his sword. As it reached the tip of his sword, a giant blue dragon emerged, swirling around him. Hanzo’s eyes glowed with a monstrous blue as he charged forward and ran his brother through with his sword, the flames of the dragon burning through him, as well was burning parts of his face.</p><p>   Hanzo watched as the life left his brother’s eyes and he slumped to the ground unceremoniously. The blue energy faded from his own eyes and crawled back up into his arm as he stood there in shock, panting heavily through gritted teeth. His heart pounded and his vision blurred as he realised what he had done. He looked over at the tapestry, which had been cut by his sword and stained with his brother’s blood.</p><p>   “Dragon head, snake tail,” the tapestry read. Hanzo knew that it was all too common for people to lose themselves in their own ambition, but he had lost himself in the worst way possible. He stared down at the blade in his hand that was chipped from slicing through bone and stained with his brother’s blood. He threw it away from him as he fell to his knees, grabbed his brother into his arms, and let out a cry of anguish while tears ran down his face.</p><p><em>   No more... </em>he thought as he laid his brother on the ground and ran a hand over his eyes. On that day, he forsook two things: his clan and the sword. Now, as he faced his brother again, he was torn. He owed his brother so much, and yet, he was too proud to admit it. He desired redemption but did not know how to truly gain it.</p><p>   “I have forgiven you. Now, you must forgive yourself. The world is changing once again, Hanzo, and it’s time to pick a side,” his brother said in a low tone of voice before he rushed off the balcony and launched himself onto a nearby rooftop. Several stone tiles shattered under his weight and clacked as he rose to his feet.</p><p>   Hanzo scowled, rushed over to the wall, and yanked an arrow out of it before raising his bow at his brother once more.</p><p>   “Real life is not like the stories our father told us! You are a fool for believing it so!” he yowled, gritting his teeth as he fought back the tears that threatened to pool in his eyes.</p><p>   “Perhaps I am a fool to think there is still hope for you,” the cyborg responded solemnly, tilting his head back slightly as he spoke, “but I do.”</p><p>   Hanzo faltered, lowering his bow ever so slightly, and his face softened as sorrow washed over it.</p><p>   Then, he watched as the lone cyborg turned to face him, put two fingers up in front of his face in a warrior’s salute, and said, “Think on that, brother.” A pink cloud of smoke swirled around him and he disappeared; a lone feather drifting down from the place he previously stood.</p><p><em>   A Sparrow’s feather… </em>he noted. <em>My brother’s nickname…</em></p><p>   From a young age, Genji had shown much promise in his Samurai training, and one day, he leapt up into the air and gracefully knocked a Sparrow out of the sky with his shuriken. As it fell to the ground, Genji touched back down gracefully. Sojiro Shimada walked out into the training area and clapped loudly.</p><p>   “Well done, my Sparrow,” he declared, patting his son on the head and smiling warmly at him. He turned to Hanzo with a scowl on his face. “You would do well not to neglect your own training Hanzo. Learn from your brother, and work twice as hard.”</p><p>   Hanzo sighed as he realized that his brother had natural talent with his skills. He soaked it all in because he enjoyed it. Hanzo knew that the reason Genji had lost their fight that fateful day was because Genji loved him more than anything else, including his sword and shuriken, and he couldn't bear to cause his brother harm. A pang of guilt tore through Hanzo. He turned away from the balcony and headed back inside the temple, kneeling before the tapestry as he stared at the sword sitting atop the sword rack.</p><p>   The blue-hilted sword was chipped from where he had swung it through his brother’s legs. He sighed deeply and bowed his head in regret as he reflected upon his actions. Then, as he raised his head once more; a glint of determination in his eyes, he grabbed his bow and knew what he had to do. He left Shimada Castle and set out on a journey to look for his brother.</p><p>   Finally, after doing his research, he learned that it was Overwatch who had resurrected his brother and made him into a Cyborg. He searched for them high and low, but it wasn’t until a Null Sector attack took place in Paris that he found them. He saw them on the news and hurried there in a private jet. There, he stayed in the background, watching silently as a giant ape, a shorter woman with an ice gun, and a woman who could move faster than most Humans, took care of the Null Sector bots.</p><p>   Hanzo tensed as the biggest Omnic he had ever seen was dropped onto the city. It unleashed a powerful laser that tore through the Parisian streets, and in its wake, it injured the woman with the ice gun. No one else was coming to their aid. They were on their own. Even so, the giant ape barked orders at the other two women, telling them to get to safety while he fought against the giant Omnic.</p><p>   Hanzo narrowed his eyes, deep in thought as he realized the ape had no chance against this massive Omnic alone.</p><p><em>   Yet still he charges towards it…</em> he realized. He pulled his bow off of his back and nocked an arrow, ready to unleash his dragons and come to the assist, when a hand rested on his shoulder. He whirled around to see his brother standing there. This time, he wore a grey and white hoodie, dark grey baggy pants, and his prosthetic feet took on the appearance of tennis shoes.</p><p>   Genji placed a finger against his lips and said in a hushed voice, “It is good to see you again, Brother. I am glad you’ve come.” Then, in a flash, he flew into the heat of battle just as the Omnic fired several laser blasts at the gorilla.</p><p>   He drew his sword and deflected a few of the blasts back at the various smaller Omnics that were slowly encroaching, but the last blast ran along the giant Omnic’s arm and hit it in one of the large projectile launchers atop its back, knocking it over. Just then, a large, metal truck came flying around the corner and two other members of Overwatch flew out of it; one large older man with a giant hammer, who brought it down and knocked over a group of Omnics, and the other, a red-headed, strong, freckle-faced woman, taking out a group on the other side of them with a metal flail.</p><p>   Another Overwatch member, who Hanzo recognized immediately as Dr. Angela “Mercy” Ziegler, the one who had resurrected his brother, flew down in a glorious ray of light, providing aid to the fallen woman. She rose to her feet once more and they all worked together to defeat the massive Omnic. Hanzo watched from the shadows as the gorilla told the Paris officials that Overwatch was back.</p><p>   He stared at the ground deep in thought and put his bow away as Null Sector retreated.</p><p>
  <em>   They are working to save the world while I am just a lone assassin… Genji was right; the world really is changing. I can’t sit back and do nothing. I must redeem myself.</em>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Bits of References I used:<br/>--Reference to the comic "Petty 20" by Gunslaughter Art @gunnslaughter<br/>--Direct Quotes from Overwatch "Dragons" Short Film<br/>--Overwatch "Joel" reference<br/>--I mean... I wrote the actual description of the scene that happened in the Overwatch 2 Teaser, but the actual scene itself belongs to Blizzard lol definitely</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. HANZO SHIMADA ACT 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I don't own Overwatch, it is owned by Blizzard! This story is mine though and I hope ya'll enjoy it! :)</p><p>I referenced some things and directly quoted some Blizzard content. What I used is in notes at the end :)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>   Hanzo waited until everything had died down to pull his brother away from the action. They went to a small diner together and spoke seriously for the first time in years. Genji requested a table in the back corner, and when he was under the cover of darkness, he took off his helmet, revealing his face that was adorned with burn scars from the flames of Hanzo’s dragon.</p><p>   Hanzo opened his mouth to say something but quickly closed it, feeling as though he didn’t deserve to speak to his brother after everything he’s done.</p><p>   “Please don’t do that…” Genji asked, frowning at Hanzo as the waitress delivered their coffee. Genji turned his head away so she wouldn’t see his face. “Don’t look at me with pity in your eyes. I am your brother. Treat me as such.”</p><p>   Hanzo cleared his throat, closed his eyes, and drank his coffee.</p><p>   “I do not know what you mean,” he lied. “In other news, I saw Overwatch in action today. So did the rest of the world. I am sure that the United Nations will be welcoming you all back with open arms.”</p><p>   Genji narrowed his eyes at his brother and sipped his coffee slowly.</p><p>   “And you, Hanzo? You are the one who wanted to speak with me, were you not?”</p><p>   Hanzo nodded and put down his cup, staring Genji in the eyes. It was hard looking at his brother and remembering what he did to him. His stomach churned with the guilt he felt.</p><p>   “Yes, I did. I wanted to… join Overwatch on a trial basis. If it suits me, then I will join it permanently,” he finally declared.</p><p>   “And if it doesn’t?” Genji demanded, raising an eyebrow incredulously.</p><p>   “Then, I will go back to the life I was living before our encounter.”</p><p>   “Go where? Back to be a glorified hitman and drowning yourself in sake each night to hide from your sins?” Genji asked, crossing his arms and leaning back in his chair. Hanzo rose from his seat, scowling fiercely at his brother, but Genji merely sighed and looked off to the side with an expression of disappointment on his face.</p><p>   Genji wasn’t wrong, and Hanzo knew it. He just couldn’t bring himself to admit it.</p><p>   “Brother… if you wish to join Overwatch and make amends, then you will need to try. I will speak with Angela and the others, but you have to understand that we are not just some organization doing good things for people; we are a family. If we cannot trust you, then you will have no place in our family,” Genji declared, standing up and meeting Hanzo’s glare with one of his own.</p><p>   The waitress walked over and cautiously stammered in her French accent, “H-hey if you two are going to fight, please do it outside, non?”</p><p>   Genji quickly put his mask back on and placed a good tip on the table.</p><p>   “Oh, my apologies. It was not my intention to make anyone uncomfortable. We were not fighting, but we will be leaving now,” he said with a small bow as he walked out the door. Hanzo trailed after him, following him as he led the lone archer to his family. They were all gathered around the steps of a large fountain, the Fontaine Louvois, talking with each other and celebrating joyously.</p><p>   “There you are, Genji! We were worried about you!” Angela declared, walking up to him with her hands on her hips. Then, she turned and looked curiously at Hanzo. “His eyes… you have similar eyes. Is he—”</p><p>   “Yes, this is Hanzo, my brother,” Genji introduced him. All of the playful banter and chatter came to an end as they all turned and stared at the newcomer.</p><p><em>   They know that I was the one who killed him… This was a mistake. I never should have come here.</em> Hanzo thought to himself, ready to turn and walk away.</p><p>   “I am Dr. Angela Ziegler, but you can call me Angela. I go by Mercy on missions.” Angela introduced herself, extending a hand to him. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Hanzo.”</p><p>   Hanzo shook her hand and managed a weak, “Yes, I know who you are.”</p><p>   Angela shot Genji an appalled look at Hanzo’s rudeness and Genji shrugged.</p><p>   “I am thinking about joining Overwatch, but I am not yet sure if it is right for me. If you will accept me, then you shall have my bow,” Hanzo added, noting the tension in the room.</p><p>   “Just a moment please, Hanzo. Let us discuss things briefly,” Angela said, grabbing Genji by the arm and dragging him over to the rest of the group. As they all spoke quietly about Hanzo, Hanzo walked away and sat down on a nearby bench, wondering what he was getting into. He wanted redemption, but he was unsure if joining Overwatch was the right path for him. He sighed deeply as he questioned whether or not he could survive the guilt that was eating away at him.</p><p>   Then, a familiar voice ripped him out of his thoughts as it growled, “Insolent cur! How hard is it to apologise for the wrongs you have done?” Hanzo turned his head in shock to see himself glaring back at him. He blinked and shook his head, wondering if he’d finally gone mad. “I will apologise for you then!” his other self declared, clearing his throat loudly and admitting everything that Hanzo couldn’t bring himself to say.</p><p>   “Genji, I have hurt you badly, and I know there is nothing I can do to take back what I did, but I promise that I will do whatever I can to redeem myself.”</p><p>   Hanzo gaped at his twin in shock and then turned his head away in annoyance. Echo, who had disguised herself as Hanzo, frowned and crossed her arms. She gave up the illusion, revealing her sleek white body and holographic blue face, and sighed deeply.</p><p>   “Jesse was a bit different... but I can see that you two share the same problem: you both are arrogant, prideful, and stubborn,” she informed him.</p><p>   “Hmph!” Hanzo scoffed, scowling at the ground with his arms crossed.</p><p>   “Oh, sorry! I didn't mean that in a bad way. Those qualities can be a blessing and a curse, after all. I am sorry for assimilating you. I’ve been told that it can make people angry, but a long time ago, there was this boy, Jesse McCree, who was just as upset as you are right now, and he was upset for a similar reason. I assimilated him and helped talk to him about his problems. I know that you two are different, but you reminded me of him. I wish he was here now...”</p><p>   Hanzo didn’t say anything, though his scowl softened ever so slightly. Echo’s holographic eyebrows scrunched together, and a sad smile played on her bright blue face as she continued. “You see... Jesse was a good man, but he did a lot of bad things in his past too; things he could not take back, much like yourself. Even so, he fought tooth and nail to make this world better, just as I am trying to. He always felt the same way you do though, as though he didn’t deserve the love we gave him.”</p><p>   Hanzo scoffed once more.</p><p>   “What would you know about how I feel?” he demanded.</p><p>   “I have assimilated you, therefore, I know exactly how you feel. All of your memories, thoughts, and feelings are inside of me. I know you inside and out, Hanzo Shimada.”</p><p>   Hanzo turned and scowled at Echo, only to find her staring at him with a warm smile on her face. His look softened and he let out a deep sigh.</p><p>   “This... Jesse person... did he... die?” Hanzo asked curiously.</p><p>   “Oh, goodness no! He is alive, and he looked well! Though, he was missing a Human arm. He had a prosthetic on his left arm, but other than that, he was fine. He did seem... lonely though. He saved my life quite recently telling me that Overwatch asked him to come back, but that they needed <em>me</em>.”</p><p>   She shook her head, frowning sadly as she stared up into the sky. “He must still feel guilty for his past. He left Blackwatch and Overwatch when all of the infighting began. I guess he couldn’t bear to see it falling apart. Even so, he left before his contract was up, and he wasn’t able to get his record expunged, so he has been living life as an outlaw this entire time.”</p><p>   Hanzo glanced over at her with sympathetic eyes before murmuring, “I am sorry that he was not here to share in your victory, but we are nothing alike.”</p><p>   “You both have trouble letting go of the past and moving on, and you both are constantly reminded of the past, which makes it all the more difficult for you,” Echo argued, placing a hand on Hanzo’s shoulder and pointing towards Genji, who was slowly approaching them without his helmet on. Hanzo steeled his nerves and hardened his face, prepared for whatever answer Genji gave him.</p><p>   “Brother. Echo,” he greeted. Echo smiled and waved at Genji enthusiastically. “Hanzo, we have decided to allow you to join us on a trial basis as you said, but first, you must complete a mission for us.”</p><p>   Hanzo raised an eyebrow in intrigue.</p><p>   “A mission? What... mission?” he demanded.</p><p>   “We have not yet found one that would suit you. We are still thinking on that. The only missions we currently have are team missions and—”</p><p>   “Well then allow me to be part of a team and prove myself!”</p><p>   “No,” Genji refused, crossing his arms.</p><p>   “No? And just why not?” Hanzo demanded, rising to his feet.</p><p>   “For the sole reason that you will be doing the mission for selfish reasons, to prove yourself. You need to be able to listen, communicate properly, and cooperate with a team, and until you are able to prove to us that you can do so, you will be sitting out. We will find you a mission. It will just take a little bit of time.”</p><p>   Hanzo stared at the ground deep in thought for a moment as Genji began to walk away, trying to suss out what Overwatch needed that he could procure. He quickly thought back to his conversation with Echo, and his eyes widened in realisation.</p><p><em>   “I wish he was here now...</em> <em>Jesse was a good man</em>,” she had told him. He looked up to see Echo floating over to join Genji; the two of them waving back at him.</p><p>   “Come join us when you are ready. You may stay with us even though you are not a full member,” Genji called over his shoulder. Echo smiled brightly at Hanzo, beckoning him to come with them.</p><p>   “Wait. I will do it,” Hanzo called out to his brother, stopping him in his tracks.</p><p>   “Do... what?” Genji demanded worriedly.</p><p>   “I will bring Jesse McCree back to Overwatch!”</p><p>   Genji and Echo exchanged a look of shock.</p><p>   “Hanzo... that is not exactly what I had in mind when I told you about Jesse. Wherever he is, I am sure he is content to be there. He was the one who decided to go off on his own, after all,” Echo objected.</p><p>   “From what you have told me, the man sounds miserable. Is it not in Overwatch’s best interests to take care of its... <em>family?"</em> Hanzo bit back.</p><p>   “Well, yes... but—” Echo began.</p><p>   “Very well, Hanzo. We will entrust you with this. Find McCree and see if you can get him to return. If your mission fails, and he doesn’t wish to return to us, then come back to us and we will find you another mission,” Genji interrupted smiling knowingly. Echo fixed Genji with a shocked expression, while Hanzo’s eyes lit up with determination.</p><p>   “I will <em>not</em> fail,” Hanzo vowed. “Where was he last spotted?”</p><p>   “Route 66 in New Mexico.”</p><p>   “Give me a week. I will track him down. Is there someone who could take me there?”</p><p>   “Of course,” Genji offered, “we can drop you off and then head back to base. I will also give you my cell number so you can contact me with your location for pick up. If you need anything at all, or even just wish to speak with me, you may call me at any time.”</p><p>   Hanzo nodded and followed Genji and Echo back to the fountain.</p><p>   “Genji,” Echo whispered, “Why would you have your brother go get McCree?”</p><p>   “Because,” Genji admitted, “they are very much alike in their stubborn ways. I believe they may find some common ground, and if they can work on a team together, then Hanzo can be an active member of Overwatch.”</p><p>   Echo glanced back at Hanzo, who was several paces behind them and smiled warmly at him, only to have him squint at her and look off to the side.</p><p>   “Not sure how it will help Hanzo’s lack of communication skills... Both him and McCree have been on their own for a long while,” she admitted.</p><p>   “Have some faith, Echo. I am positive that things will work out,” Genji told her with a bright smile.</p><p>   They had dinner together before they all piled into the Overwatch jet and Reinhardt, Winston, Angela, and Lena all reminisced about the old days in the Overwatch Strike team. Winston and Reinhardt sat in their old seats at the front, Brigitte took the seat next to Reinhardt, and Mei sat next to Winston. Tracer and Echo sat in the cockpit and Angela sat in her old seat, running a finger over a dusty picture of her and two of her colleagues wistfully.</p><p>   Genji sat down in the seat next to her and Mei, watching as she flipped through one of the medical books she had left on the shelf just below the pictures. She chuckled at the annotations she made.</p><p>   “It feels like old times, doesn’t it?” he suggested.</p><p>   Angela sighed and closed the book, smiling half-heartedly before placing it back on the shelf.</p><p>   “It would, if everyone was here. I miss Jack, Ana, Gabriel, and McCree...” she admitted sadly. Then, she looked over at Hanzo, who was across from her in the corner seat by himself, and her face clouded with worry. “I know that getting Jack, Gabriel, and Ana back will probably be impossible, but... do you really believe that Hanzo will be able to get McCree back to us?”</p><p>   “I am certain of it,” he said with a smile. He then turned to Hanzo, keeping the smile on his face and informed him, “It is a fairly long trip to New Mexico, and it has been a long day. I suggest you get some sleep. It was good to see you again though, brother.” He then leaned back in his seat and closed his eyes. Hanzo looked around him at the lively bunch and sighed deeply, wondering if he could ever truly belong.</p><p>   “Hanzo... Hanzo...!” a voice called out to him. He felt a warm hand on his shoulder that gently shook him and looked up to see the red-haired woman from earlier waking him up from his sleep.</p><p>   “Sorry, I know we haven’t met yet, but I’m Brigitte. I’ll talk with you more once you return from your mission though, I’m sure!” she greeted him.</p><p>   “Have we landed in New Mexico?” Hanzo asked, rising from his seat and stretching.</p><p>   “Yep! I was asked to wake you up. Genji is waiting for you outside the ship.”</p><p>   Hanzo nodded his thanks and walked outside. He shielded his face against the bright light and scorching heat and approached Angela and Genji, who were speaking quietly. They stopped as they saw Hanzo approach and Genji quickly informed him about McCree’s suspected whereabouts.</p><p>   “We are in Albuquerque right now. He was last seen here when he stopped the Deadlock Gang from robbing a train and woke up Echo from her stasis,” he explained.</p><p>   Hanzo let out a grunt of acknowledgement, looked around, and said, “This is fine. I will begin my search here.”</p><p>   Genji handed him his contact information, along with a picture of McCree, and put a gentle hand on his brother’s shoulder.</p><p>   “Good luck, Hanzo,” he said as he boarded the ship once more. Hanzo watched it take off and then began his mission, first asking people in the local diner about him. They directed him to the Deadlock Gang, saying that McCree had some business with them. He bought a map from the owner and walked back outside. The hot, dry, desert sun beat down on Hanzo, but he was prepared for anything. His belongings were with him, packed into a hard-light storage device that was tucked away just inside his kyudo-gi.</p><p>   He pulled the hard-light storage out of his pocket and selected his bow, quiver, and arrows. He quickly equipped them on his person, ready for what lie ahead. Hanzo tracked down a few members of the Deadlock Gang and interrogated them to find out that McCree had given Ashe, the Gang’s leader, her motorcycle back and gone to the desert somewhere to live away from everyone else. Hanzo travelled through the desert once more.</p><p>   He finally stopped when he got to a very small town that didn’t seem to be on any map. He pulled out his phone and checked it online but couldn’t find anything on it location-wise. It appeared to only have a strip center with some small stores in it and a bar called Starlight Saloon. They also had The Dust Bowl, which was a small casino, and a brothel called Lucky Stars.</p><p>   He showed people McCree’s picture in each of the small stores, and some of the store employees recognized him, though they didn’t know anything about where he lived. Hanzo thanked them for their time and left, heading into the bar. The bartender said the same exact thing; that McCree was extremely secretive and that no one knew where he lived. At the Casino, they said he was banned for being suspected of cheating, but again, no one knew where he lived.</p><p>   Hanzo sighed and narrowed his eyes in annoyance as he realized he would have to go into the brothel. He walked in and kept his eyes down, slowly approaching the front desk, where a woman was typing something at a computer. She looked up and smiled as she noticed Hanzo standing there.</p><p>   “Goodness, me, you're so quiet! Hello there, Sugar! My name’s Trisha! What can we do to please you to—” a woman with a sweet, sultry voice and curly blonde hair began. She cut off as Hanzo quickly raised up the photo he had of McCree.</p><p>   “Have you seen this man? I am looking for him. He is not in trouble or anything. I just need to find him and…see how he is faring,” Hanzo explained.</p><p>   “Oh, you’re checking up on Joel? He’s a real sweetheart of a man, ain't he? Everyone we send his way comes back and has nothin’ but the nicest things to say about him!”</p><p>
  <em>   Joel? Who is that? No matter. This Trisha recognized him, so this must be him, after all…</em>
</p><p>   “So, can you please tell me where he lives, then?” Hanzo pressed.</p><p>   Trisha bit her lip nervously and said, “You know, I’m not really sure that’s the best idea… I’m pretty sure it’s against company policy, you know? I’m really sorry about that…”</p><p>   Hanzo reached into his pocket and pulled out two hundred credits. He set them on the table for her and hesitantly smiled and met her gaze. She smiled back, pocketed the money, and wrote down the directions to his house.</p><p>   “Now, look… you didn’t hear it from me and if you do <em>anythin’</em> bad to that man, I will have the authorities hunt you down, understand?” Trisha threatened him, passing him the set of directions. Hanzo nodded and turned to leave. “Oh yeah, Mister, it’s about an hour’s walk out there, but if you want to get there faster, you could rent a motorcycle from the owner of The Dust Bowl,” she added.</p><p>   Hanzo thanked her and forced a smile at her once more before turning around and leaving; his true smile, one of determination, playing across his face. Once he rented the motorcycle, he followed the directions she wrote out for him and sped off into the desert. Eventually, he got to an area that was out of the way. There was a narrow path that curved around a large, dusty, red plateau and led to an open space where there was a small, run-down house right next to the edge of a canyon.</p><p>   He pocketed the directions, parked the bike just outside the house, and hesitantly walked up to the door, knocking on it and waiting for a response. After a few moments, McCree answered the door. Hanzo gazed at the man warily as he greeted him and was a bit confused when he said he had been waiting for him.</p><p>
  <em>   Ah, Trisha back at that Lucky Stars place must have called him and informed him about me coming to visit him…</em>
</p><p>   Jesse looked almost every bit like his picture, except for the fact that he currently smelled like a brewery and looked like a defeated man. His hair was not brushed, his beard was unkempt, his clothes were dumpy; a standard T-shirt and Pajama Pants, and his eyes were dull and lifeless, though they seemed to brighten as soon as Hanzo came into the room. His accent and voice were warm and welcoming.</p><p>   Hanzo could see why Echo missed him so much. He seemed to be the life of the party. Hanzo became confused when McCree introduced himself as “Joel.”</p><p>
  <em>   Didn’t he know I was coming? I thought Trisha told him!</em>
</p><p>   They had some small talk about the town and “Joel” poured him a glass of Whiskey that he failed to drink, coughing and spluttering as the burn lingered roughly in the back of his throat. He scowled in annoyance at McCree’s laughter, and turned away.</p><p>   “I am only here for one thing, so let’s get down to business,” he declared in frustration, crossing his arms. McCree leaned back against the couch for a moment with a strange look on his face. He stared at Hanzo for a few moments before grabbing him into his arms.</p><p>   “As you wish, darlin’,” he purred, pressing his lips against Hanzo’s and pulling the tie out of his hair to let it fall down around his shoulders. Hanzo’s breath caught in his throat as McCree’s hands began to wander. He was beyond confused at this interaction, and in one swift motion, he broke free of McCree’s arms and slammed him in the nose with a palm thrust.</p><p><em>   Is he drunk?</em> Hanzo questioned as he panted heavily. Heat rose in his cheeks and he watched as the man scowled in confusion before focusing on him with narrowed eyes.</p><p>   “What did-what did you—” he demanded, starting towards Hanzo with his Human hand over his bleeding nose while his cyber prosthetic hand pointed accusingly.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Bits of References I used:<br/>--Reference to the comic "Petty 20" by Gunslaughter Art @gunnslaughter<br/>--Direct Quotes from Overwatch "Dragons" Short Film<br/>--Overwatch "Joel" reference<br/>--I mean... I wrote the actual description of the scene that happened in the Overwatch 2 Teaser, but the actual scene itself belongs to Blizzard lol definitely</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. THE DEAL</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I don't own Overwatch, Blizzard does! I only own this story. :) I hope you enjoy it, now more than ever during these trying times, I feel like it's important to entertain people and give them a nice distraction from the outside world. Stay safe and enjoy the story! :)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>    McCree stared at Hanzo for a few moments, sizing him up before he withdrew, letting out a dark chuckle as he leaned back against the couch once more. As Hanzo stared at him in shock, McCree grabbed some tissues and controlled the bleeding.</p><p>    “Well now, that was a little rough, wasn’t it?” McCree suddenly purred, running a hand over his beard.</p><p>    “Expect nothing less!” Hanzo huffed, crossing his arms. Then, upon eyeing the slight bump in McCree’s nose, he turned away from him guiltily and added, “Though… I apologize if I was too harsh with you.”</p><p>    McCree grinned devilishly and cracked his knuckles, making Hanzo turn around and eye him warily. There was something in the man’s eyes that he didn’t trust, and it made his skin crawl.</p><p>    “Oh, you’re mistaken, darlin’… I like it rough,” he bit back. In a blur of motion that Hanzo thought was impossible for a drunken man, McCree pounced at him from the couch, grabbing his arms, pinning them back behind him, and shoving him against the wall. Hanzo growled and struggled against the brute of a man that held him.</p><p>    A startled gasp escaped him as Jesse leaned into his ear and declared, “You may have busted my nose, but I’m a Rancher, sweetheart. That little love tap of yours was real cute, but if you want rough, I can show you rough.” As McCree grinned and bit the side of Hanzo’s neck, pressing his body into Hanzo’s, Hanzo let out a groan that was a mixture of angry and embarrassed and he jumped against McCree’s body, pushing his feet off from the wall and knocking them both over.</p><p>    Hanzo pressed a hand to his neck in shock as the warm, wet feeling of McCree’s mouth lingered there. McCree staggered to his feet, staring at Hanzo in shock before letting out a cheer.</p><p>    “Whoo, boy! Lucky Stars, indeed! The agency sent me a wild one this time! You’re gonna get a great tip tonight in more ways than one, Hanzo,” he declared flirtatiously as he went to make another advance.</p><p>    “Wait,” Hanzo said, holding up a hand. He tied his hair back up with his scarf once more as he spoke firmly, “I believe there has… been a mistake. I am not with Lucky Stars…” McCree stopped dead in his tracks and began heading over to the drawer where his six-shooter pistol was. Hanzo summoned his bow and arrows out of his hard-light device and held his weapon at the ready with an arrow knocked in it, aiming it right at McCree’s head.</p><p>    “Oh, is that so?” McCree said as he whirled around and held up his pistol, shocked to see Hanzo already aiming a weapon at his head.</p><p><em>    So, he’s an archer, huh? </em>McCree thought to himself, eyeing the man warily.</p><p>    Hanzo suddenly griped in Japanese, “離れて、変態男！<em>Stay away from me, you perverted man!</em>”</p><p>    McCree’s eyes lit up in recognition and he smiled widely.</p><p>    “You speak Japanese?” he asked. “I used to have a good friend who was Japanese!”</p><p>    “You understand Japanese?” Hanzo asked, slightly lowering his bow.</p><p>    “Nah, just the occasional word or two here and there. Like I know you said the word “man,” so I’m guessin’ you said somethin’ about me, huh? I hope it wasn’t anything’... bad.” He grinned devilishly and Hanzo scowled, raising his bow back towards McCree’s head.</p><p>    After a few more moments, the spark had left McCree’s eyes, and he sighed, turned back around, and put his gun back in the drawer. He walked over to the couch, sat down on it, and turned the cartoons back on; a solemn look on his face as he stared blankly at them. Hanzo, who had followed him with his bow the entire way up until he had sat down, stared at him in awe.</p><p>
  <em>    Perhaps this actually will be a challenge...</em>
</p><p>    “What are you doing?” he demanded, raising an eyebrow.</p><p>    “Just do it already...” McCree barked with a scowl on his face as he leaned over and poured himself another glass of whiskey. The bottle was a little over half empty now.</p><p>    “Do what?”</p><p>    “Kill me. That’s what you’re here for, isn’t it? To kill the great outlaw Jesse fuckin’ McCree and collect a reward, right? So, hurry the fuck up and be done with it!” There was a sharp edge to his voice that made Hanzo flinch slightly, though he did not back down.</p><p>    As McCree lifted the glass to his mouth, Hanzo loosed his arrow, shooting it straight through the glass. It shattered in McCree’s hand. He let out a low growl before stubbornly picking up the entire bottle in his right hand, leaning back against the couch, and drinking out of it, flipping Hanzo the bird with his metal prosthetic hand.</p><p>    Hanzo stared at the defeated-looking man in shock, lowering his bow.</p><p>    He balled his fists angrily then and declared, “I’m not here to kill you! I am here to bring you back to Overwatch! Look at yourself! You are nothing like the man that Echo told me about! She sang all sorts of praise about Jesse McCree, who was a good man who tried his hardest to make the world a better place!” McCree scoffed and took a bigger swig of the drink.</p><p>    “Sorry to disappoint ya, Hanzo. I’ll be sure to add you to the list of people I disappointed when I <em>first </em>left Overwatch,” he bit back. Hanzo growled aloud, threw down his bow, and stood directly in front of McCree, glaring down at him.</p><p>    “My mission is to bring you back to Overwatch; that is all. You <em>will </em>come with me!” he snarled. McCree matched Hanzo’s glare with one of his own as he took another sip of Whiskey.</p><p>    “Then it had better be in a hearse because I ain’t goin’ otherwise.” Another growl escaped Hanzo’s throat and he glared at McCree a moment longer until Echo’s words came back to him.</p><p>    He remembered what she had admitted to him, <em>“</em><em>You both have trouble letting go of the past and moving on, and you both are also constantly reminded of the past, which makes it all the more difficult for you.”</em></p><p>    Then, he recalled Genji’s suggestion to him.</p><p>
  <em>    “If you wish to join Overwatch and make amends, then you will need to try…you have to understand that we are not just some organization doing good things for people; we are a family.”</em>
</p><p>    Hanzo sighed heavily before falling back against the couch next to McCree.</p><p>
  <em>    I need to try, hm?</em>
</p><p>    “I don’t suppose you have any Sake, do you?” he inquired, not expecting much.</p><p>    “Nope,” McCree answered back, about to take another drink of Whiskey when Hanzo snatched it and chugged the rest of the bottle, coughing and spluttering when he had finished. McCree stared at him wide-eyed for a moment before a bout of laughter shook him to his core.</p><p>    “Oh, shit… You’re gonna regret that, Darlin’!” Hanzo turned and glared at him, as he thought he was being threatened, but as he saw the smile on McCree’s face, he relaxed, thankful that he could cheer him up a bit.</p><p>    Then, Hanzo rolled his eyes and asked him, “Since it is just you and me here, I was wondering if I could let you know what is on my mind. Then maybe… you could tell me what’s on yours.” McCree glanced at him warily for a moment, squinting his eyes in suspicion, but he didn’t say anything. Hanzo let out a thoughtful hum as he realized he would need to take a leap of faith and go first.</p><p>    “I… I killed my own brother,” he began, bowing his head sadly. McCree stared at him seriously now and turned off the TV. “Genji…” McCree’s eyes widened at the mention of his friend’s name.</p><p>    “I killed him. Our clan demanded his death as punishment for his frivolous lifestyle, and I was willing to carry it out… I have regretted it all this time, but I do not know how to make amends. I only recently found out that he was actually alive and that he had destroyed the Shimada Clan and was working with Overwatch. Even so, every time I see my brother’s face, I—" Hanzo cut off as tears threatened to pool in his eyes. He focused his gaze on the floor and centered himself.</p><p>    “You feel the guilt and the burden of what you’ve done? Yeah, I know the feelin’. I left just before Overwatch disbanded and I can’t help but think that if I was there, I could’ve stopped it somehow. On top of that, I’ve done so much wrong in my life. I used to run with this badass gang called the Deadlock Rebels.”</p><p>    “We did all sorts of crazy shit. I’m thankful for my mentor in Overwatch, Gabriel Reyes. He pulled me out of that life and gave my dumb ass a second chance when everyone else was ready to quit on me. And how did I repay him? I left him in the dust when he made a mistake and went Rogue. I should’ve done more… I should've been there for Fareeha when her mother died... I should’ve saved Reyes. I don't have any business bein' back there…”</p><p>    McCree put his head in his hands and bunched his fingers through his thick locks of hair in despair.</p><p>    “It seems we are both fools,” Hanzo admitted. “Is there any more of that Whiskey? I believe we’re going to need some for this conversation.”</p><p>    McCree rose to his feet, went to the cabinet, and grabbed a bottle of Jack Daniels’ Tennessee Honey before returning to the archer, unscrewing the bottle, and offering him the first taste. Hanzo sniffed it warily and then tipped it back and took a small sip of it. It was much smoother than the other Whiskey, and he actually enjoyed it.</p><p>    He took a few more sips of it before passing it back to McCree, who declared, “We’re both fools and masochists, I guess. We talk a big game about the good ole days, what could’ve been, and what we’ve done, but we’re too afraid to move forward. I guess we derive pleasure from torturing ourselves.”</p><p>    McCree went to chug some of the Whiskey, but then stopped, staring at the bottle in realization.</p><p>    “We have another thing in common too: neither of us wants to go back to Overwatch. We can’t face our sins.” Hanzo gaped at him, realizing he was right. He could feel his cheeks flushing with heat from the alcohol, and his vision was also beginning to suffer, as he hadn’t eaten anything the whole day.</p><p>    “Well… how about this? I have a week to bring you back. What if we stay here and hide out together?” he suggested. Then his eyes widened at what he said.</p><p><em>    That was not what I meant!</em> he realized in horror. Much to his relief, the Cowboy seemed not to realise he had said the word "together." </p><p>    “Hide out… huh. Yeah, you know, that sounds like a great idea! At the end of the week, <em>if</em> we decide to go back, then I’ll gladly go back with you,” McCree agreed.</p><p><em>    Hmph! This mission is a lot easier than I thought it would be!</em> Hanzo thought with a grin.</p><p>    “Deal.”</p><p>    He shook McCree’s hand and noticed that his eyes were now lit up with excitement. For the first time, Hanzo was in awe at how handsome the Rancher really was now that his eyes were hopeful.</p><p>
  <em>    He is quite good-looking when he smiles. Earlier he was so lonely though. He must… he must be very glad I’m here…</em>
</p><p>    Hanzo’s mouth dropped open as he continued to gaze into the other man’s creamy brown eyes, and the smile left McCree’s face as he stared at Hanzo in shock. Hanzo’s eyes were a pair of cold, dark brown voids that threatened to ensnare anyone who looked into them, and Jesse McCree was definitely drawn in by them. Without warning, McCree leaned over and pressed his lips against Hanzo’s, kissing him roughly.</p><p>    Hanzo’s eyes widened as he wasn’t sure how to take McCree’s affection, but as the handsome man leaned back and smiled at him flirtily, he realised that nothing else mattered in that moment but him. Hanzo wanted him and he was determined to take him there and then.</p><p>    “Damn my pride and my honor, and fuck everything else!” he declared, pressing his lips against the renewed man’s.</p><p>    “No, Darlin’, just fuck <em>me</em>,” McCree bit back, sending the two of them reeling with laughter. Suddenly, there was a small knock at the door and McCree held up a finger to Hanzo and grabbed his wallet of the table before walking over to it and looking through the peephole. He opened the door to find a woman with black hair, ruby-red lipstick, and bright green eyes, who was wearing a black trench coat.</p><p>    She threw it off to reveal the outfit of some sort of warrior princess and stood in a fighting stance.</p><p>    “Greetings, I’m Zena. You wanna make love, or war, Joel?” she asked seductively.</p><p>    “Ah…hahah… Sorry you had to walk all this way over here, but I’m already covered tonight. I should’ve called. I really apologize. Here, I’ll give you a great tip,” he apologized, paying her triple the normal rate.</p><p>    The woman smiled up at him and thanked him, and upon spotting Hanzo inside on the couch, she declared, “Well, I’m glad you found someone to keep you warm tonight, Joel,” before she winked and left.</p><p>    “Night Zena,” McCree called back with a smirk on his face, closing and locking the door. He walked back over to Hanzo and sat down on the couch. “So… umm… sorry about that, I just—”</p><p>    “Shut. Up,” Hanzo commanded, pressing his lips against Jesse’s.</p><p>    Hanzo’s lips were soft; not yet tainted by the dry, desert heat, while McCree’s were rough and demanding. Hanzo could feel the desperation in McCree’s longing kisses, and he yearned for more. He grabbed hold of McCree's T-shirt, bunching it up in his fists as he drew the handsome Rancher tightly against him. McCree chuckled breathily between kisses and grinded against the stern archer. His hands roamed across the archer's back, and he was about to reach up and untie his hair once more when there was a knock at the door again.</p><p>    McCree groaned loudly in frustration, taking deep breaths and finally gaining the self-control to pull away from Hanzo.</p><p>    “Be right back again. Maybe ‘Zena’ needs directions back to town or somethin’,” McCree drawled, walking towards the door. Hanzo nodded, but then the hairs on the back of his neck stood up and he jumped off the couch and yanked McCree back towards him. “Hey! What gives?”</p><p>    Hanzo pressed a finger against his lips before he extended the arm that had the tattoo on it and made it glow brightly, a ghostly bright blue skating down his arm and into his hand. He placed his glowing hand against the door and both he and McCree could see the six men who were on the other side of the wall, and they were armed.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. LEAVING THE PAST BEHIND</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Blizzard owns Overwatch, not me, but I own this story! Been awhile :) Heyo! ^_^ Hope you enjoy the story!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>   McCree stared at Hanzo in shock, gaping as the blue light retracted back up his arm.</p><p><em>   Does he have a dragon like Genji’s…? </em>McCree wondered. Hanzo met his gaze with a stern, wary expression now.</p><p>   There was another knock at the door and McCree yowled, “Yeah, I’m comin’. Sorry, just give me a minute I wasn’t expecting any visitors!” McCree knew they weren’t in a good situation. Both of them were inebriated and they were going to have to fight for their lives. McCree had been in more dire straits before, but he was worried about Hanzo, who was wobbling slightly, unsteady from the Whiskey. Even so, if he was anything like his brother, Genji, he knew he'd be fine. </p><p>   McCree retrieved his revolver out of the drawer and grabbed a duffel bag, shoving it full of water bottles, ammo, and snacks just in case. He had Hanzo answer the door while he snuck around the side of the house. Hanzo grabbed his bow and nocked an arrow in it before standing off to the side and pulling the door open. Three men instantly charged the room, guns raised, scouring it for any sign of the two of them.</p><p>   As the fourth thug was about to walk inside, Hanzo kicked the door hard with his foot, slamming it in his face before raising his bow and launching a series of fast arrows that glowed bright blue with the energy of his dragons. His aim was a little off because of his imbalance, but he managed well, hitting two of them in vital spots on their bodies. Outside, he could hear several gunshots and knew that McCree was dealing with the other three men. </p><p>   The third assailant, however, raised his gun at Hanzo and fired. Hanzo darted to the side at lightning speed, but as he did, his hard-light storage system flew out of his pocket. The bullet that was meant for Hanzo went straight through the device. Hanzo snarled before he rushed forward, slamming his bow down on the man’s arm and wrenching the gun from his hand.</p><p>   He then dropped it and pulled his bow around the man’s neck, choking him out. He grasped at his neck for a short time before he went limp and slumped to the ground. Hanzo took the pistol back once more before opening the door and aiming it at the man on the other side of it, who aimed his revolver right back at him.</p><p>   McCree sighed in relief and they both lowered their guns, but as he looked into the room at the three bodies that lay on the floor, he let out a low whistle.</p><p>   “Damn, Hanzo, even when drunk, you’re still lethal,” McCree stated.</p><p>   “Hmph… Not lethal enough. We have a problem now,” he said worriedly, holding up his fried hard-light storage.</p><p>   “Whoops,” McCree drawled, chuckling lightly.</p><p>   “’<em>Whoops?’ </em>It is much worse than you think, McCree. My phone was inside that storage device! It is damaged, so there’s no accessing it. That means there’s no way to contact Genji if we need help, or if we do decide to go back.<em>”</em></p><p>   “Well, we’ll take things one step at a time. First, let’s see who these assholes were.” McCree disarmed all of the men and flipped one over to check his pockets. Inside, he found a picture of his face and some sort of assassination order with a giant logo of a sinister looking “T” at the bottom.</p><p>   He growled under his breath, and declared, “Shit... Talon sent them after me.” Hanzo stared at the gunslinger thoughtfully, wondering what would have happened if he hadn’t been there.</p><p><em>   Would he have told those Talon agents to kill him, too?</em> He questioned.</p><p>   “Wherever they are from doesn’t matter. We need to focus on getting to safety now. Do you know anywhere we can go where Talon can’t track you?” Hanzo asked.</p><p>   “Yeah, I know of a place, but it’s gonna take awhile to get there on foot,” McCree responded, crossing his arms.</p><p>   “I never said we were going by foot, did I?” Hanzo bit back with a grin. McCree gaped at him in confusion, wondering if he was going to pull a giant dragon out of his ass to ride on. “Gather your things and keep your pistol at the ready.”</p><p>   McCree sighed and declared, “Yeah, alright. I’ll be a little while. Lemme know if you spot any trouble.”</p><p>   For the first time in awhile, McCree took a hot shower, rinsing the New Mexican desert dust off his body and sighing with relief at the feeling of the wet warmth against his skin. When he was finished, he combed his hair, trimmed his beard, and walked back into his bedroom to get dressed.</p><p>   He approached an old wooden trunk and looked inside, sighing deeply at the sight of his armor, work clothes, BAMF belt, hat, and serape. He hadn’t touched his gear since he went to rescue Echo, but now, as he ran his fingers over the fabric of the serape, he realized how much he missed them. He put on a brown work shirt before attaching his armor to his chest, muttering about putting on a little weight as he noticed a slight tightness to it.</p><p>   He then pulled on a pair of brown jeans and slid his chaps on over them, attaching his gun holster on his right side and his knife sheath on his left, and placing the kneepad on his left knee. He also pulled open a drawer on his nightstand and pulled out several flashbang grenades, attaching them to his chaps before collecting the rest so he could shove them into the duffel bag. He slid on his boots and pulled his chaps over them before he attached his spur straps and flicked the spurs on his heels, grinning wildly. Then, he threw his serape over him and quickly put on his BAMF belt, rubbing the buckle a bit to make it shine.</p><p>   He spun his gun around in his hand with a flourish before holstering it and then turned around, ready to leave. Then, he stopped and shook his head, heading back inside and grabbing his cowboy hat off the bedpost. He stared at it thoughtfully, running a hand over the insignia.</p><p><em>   It’s filled with memories and holds so much meaning for me… but it’s also a reminder of the times that'll never be again… </em>he thought as he held it in his hands. <em>Should I leave it behind? </em>He stared at it for a moment longer before he took a deep breath and threw it on the bed.</p><p>   He grabbed his duffel bag and walked outside to find Hanzo atop a fancy, black motorcycle; his bow and arrows hanging on his back.</p><p>   He let out a low whistle of appreciation and grinned, remarking, “That’s right, you did tell me earlier you rode here on motorcycle. I was not expecting anythin’ this fancy though!” Hanzo turned around and gaped at him for a moment, in shock at his new appearance. The scraggly Rancher was gone and replaced with a well-groomed cowboy. Hanzo put on a helmet and pulled one out of the seat compartment as McCree approached.</p><p>   “Where is your hat, Eastwood?” Hanzo teased him.</p><p>   “’Scuze me?” McCree scoffed.</p><p>   “All cowboys wear a hat, is that not correct?”</p><p>   McCree chuckled half-heartedly and scratched his head.</p><p>   “I left it in the past,” he admitted.</p><p>   “Well then, I hope this will be a good replacement for now. Stay alert. You may need to pick off any approaching Talon members along the way to our next destination.” Hanzo handed McCree the motorcycle helmet and he accepted it.</p><p>   “Thanks, but I’d feel better if I was the one who was doin' the drivin',” McCree said, smiling slyly at Hanzo. Hanzo narrowed his eyes at the gunslinger, fixing him with a cold stare.</p><p>   “You can either <em>ride</em> and shoot, or you can <em>walk</em> and shoot,” Hanzo declared, putting the visor down on his motorcycle helmet and starting the bike. McCree grumbled for a second before jamming the helmet onto his head and staring at Hanzo’s back, wondering where he should put his hands.</p><p>   “Hey, Hanzo, I don’t know if—” he began, but the sudden lurch of the motorcycle made him stop and wrap his arms tightly around the archer, pulling him closer than he’d intended. For a moment, he thought he felt Hanzo’s low, bassy, chuckle, but it was quickly drowned out by the sound and feeling of the motorcycle’s tires on the dirt road.</p><p>   “Where are we going, McCree?” Hanzo called back to him.</p><p>   “Take a right up here at the fork in the road,” McCree instructed him. He gave Hanzo directions to a small cave hidden amongst the natural camouflage of the rusty orange rocks and cliffs. When they got closer to it, McCree climbed up the side of one of the nearby cliffs and scouted the area, making sure they weren’t being followed.</p><p>   When he was sure that everything was safe, he scaled back down the cliff face expertly and rejoined Hanzo on the motorcycle.</p><p>   “I think we killed all the people who were after me for now. They’ll most likely send more, but we should be safe to head on down to the cave,” he informed Hanzo. Hanzo let out a grunt of acknowledgement and started the motorcycle down the road once more. When they arrived, they walked the bike into the cave and checked it to make sure no animals were using it as a den.</p><p>   McCree nodded in approval that the cafe was safe, tossed his duffel bag to the side, and slumped to the ground, pulling a cigarillo out of his pocket and lighting it up. He took several puffs of it and sighed heavily, leaning against the rocky wall and watching as Hanzo laid his bow and quiver aside and sat down across from him. He began fiddling around with his hard-light storage device as if trying to fix it.</p><p>   “I wouldn’t mess with that too much… Might do something irreversible to it. Do you know Genji’s phone number by memory?” McCree inquired.</p><p>   “Yes,” Hanzo said, “I memorized it as soon as he handed it to me.”</p><p>   “Alright, well… we’re going to have to wait until nightfall to start a camp. It’ll be dark and dangerous, but it’ll have to do. Can’t risk goin’ out into the daylight to collect materials and gettin’ spotted. In several days or so when we're absolutely sure the coast is clear, we can see about headin' into the next town over for supplies. They should have a phone too, so if we do decide to return to Overwatch, we can use it to call Genji.”</p><p>   “What are we supposed to do until then?” Hanzo demanded, setting down his storage device, putting his hands on his knees, and tapping his fingers impatiently. McCree raised an eyebrow at the archer, fixing him with a seductive stare that made Hanzo’s breath catch in his throat. Then, he put out his cigar on a nearby rock, leaned forward until he was almost face to face with the brooding man, and his lips parted teasingly as his eyes sparked with a seductive edge.</p><p>   Hanzo gaped, not sure what to expect, until the cowboy shot him a boyish grin and pulled a pack of black playing cards with red skulls on them out of his pocket.</p><p>   “There are plenty of ways to pass the time,” he suggested, grinning wildly as he noticed the semi-flustered look on Hanzo’s face, as much as he tried to hide it. He shuffled the cards and set the deck down, walking over to his duffel bag and pulling out a bottle of whiskey.</p><p>   “Absolutely not!” Hanzo growled, narrowing his eyes at McCree.</p><p>   “Wha—why the hell not?!” McCree protested.</p><p>   “We were just accosted by Talon. While the people who were sent to kill you failed, they could always send more. We should sober up completely and remain that way for the next few days just in case they manage to locate us.” McCree let out a growl of frustration and put the bottle back, but then, he smacked his fist against his hand and let out a cheer. Hanzo looked around in the duffel bag and pulled out a bottle of water, taking several sips of it as the desert heat began to get to him.</p><p>   “I’ve got it! We can play us a strip card game!”</p><p>   Hanzo choked on the water.</p><p>   “What?!”</p><p>   “Yeah, we could play Strip Poker… Strip War… Strip—”</p><p>   “Why would we do that?” Hanzo countered, crossing his arms and staring at the cowboy incredulously.</p><p>   “You haven’t done it before?” McCree asked, staring at Hanzo curiously.</p><p>   “No, and I do not see a point in doing so now. Now, if you will excuse me, I am going to rest.” Hanzo curled up in the corner next to the duffel bag, shuffling some things around inside of it to make it into a semi-comfortable pillow.</p><p>   McCree scoffed, but grinned knowingly to himself as he sat down, shuffled his cards lazily, and declared, “Damn… you are <em>just</em> like your brother.” That did it.</p><p>   "<em>What...</em> did you <em>say?"</em> Hanzo demanded, sitting up and glowering at the cowboy.</p><p>   “You are just like Genji. Both of ya are sticks in the mud. Don’t know how to have a lick o’ fun.”</p><p>   “I am <em>nothing</em> like him!” Hanzo yowled.</p><p>   “Hm, well you’re not really provin’ your point. Won’t even play a strip card game with me… So much like Genji.”</p><p>   Hanzo knew he was being goaded. He knew what the cowboy was up to, but at the same time, his pride wouldn’t let him back down from a challenge. He scowled at McCree as he sat directly in front of him, and the gunslinger matched his scowl with an equal ferocity.</p><p>   “Let us play War then… What are the rules?” Hanzo demanded.</p><p>   “We’ll play best three out of five rounds. We each put down a card and the higher card wins the war. At the end of the five rounds, whoever got the most wins gets to make the other person take off an article of clothing of their choosin’. Now… pants can’t go before shoes though obviously, so there’s that technicality.”</p><p>   “Armour does not count. That has to come off before we start the game,” Hanzo declared.</p><p>   McCree chuckled darkly before he nodded and removed it, saying, “Alright Hanzo, but if you ask me, you seem to be a bit eager to see me lose my clothes.”</p><p>   “Well, it’s a good thing I didn't ask you,” he bit back.</p><p>   McCree scoffed and quickly dealt the cards out, half the deck to Hanzo and half to himself. Then, they played the first card. McCree won with a queen to Hanzo’s five and grinned wildly at Hanzo. Hanzo scoffed and the next round ensued. McCree won that one as well, this time with an ace to Hanzo’s seven. Hanzo raised an eyebrow at him in suspicion and the cowboy chuckled, raising his arms in a nonchalant shrug. A low growl escaped Hanzo’s throat.</p><p>   McCree won the final round with a King to Hanzo’s four and narrowed his eyes at Hanzo; his lips upturning in a smug grin as he ordered, “Shoes.” Hanzo leaned forward and grabbed the cowboy’s sleeves roughly, shaking them. McCree laughed loudly and yanked them away.</p><p>   “I don’t have any cards up my sleeves, Hanzo. How could you think such a thing? I’m just a simple cowboy with simple—” he stopped abruptly as Hanzo grabbed his half of the deck and flipped it over to reveal all face cards and higher-numbered cards. McCree grinned wildly and rubbed his beard with his mechanical hand. “Shit, looks like I’m dead to rights here.”</p><p>   “Once an outlaw, <em>always</em> an outlaw…” Hanzo growled.</p><p>   “Yeah, probably,” McCree said in a somewhat dejected tone of voice, turning his head to the side. Hanzo thought he had struck a nerve and was about to ask him when he turned his head back to smile at Hanzo and declared, “but since you didn’t catch me <em>before</em> I won, those shoes need to come off.”</p><p>   “I could always stop playing with you. I will not be cheated.”</p><p>   “Alright, alright! I promise, Hanzo. No more tricks and no more cheats,” he vowed, taking his hat off and crossing his heart with his right hand. Hanzo glared at him for a moment longer before taking his metal boots off, snatching the cards away from McCree and shuffling them himself.</p><p>   This time, Hanzo lost the first round, but won the second and third. As they played their cards on the fourth round, Hanzo let out a victorious cheer and raised a closed fist.</p><p>   “Cowboy boots,” he said with a grin.</p><p>   “Oh, I see how it’s gonna be now…” McCree growled playfully as he removed them to reveal his long black socks. They played several more games and McCree won the next set.</p><p>   “Pants!”</p><p>   “Did you forget something, McCree?” Hanzo asked him slyly, raising one foot and wiggling his toes through his tabi. McCree eyed the toe-socks and groaned loudly.</p><p>   “Those first then. The pants will be dropping shortly afterwards, I’m sure.”</p><p>   “Hmph! We shall see, Cowboy,” Hanzo bit back, shuffling the deck and passing out the next hand. Hanzo won the next set of rounds and let out a low chuckle.</p><p>   “Socks,” he demanded evenly. McCree scoffed and pulled them off, eying Hanzo suggestively the entire time. He swore loudly as Hanzo won the next set of games and eyed the Japanese archer impatiently.</p><p>   “Those ridiculous things you wear over your pants.” McCree clicked his tongue and stood up, taking them off.</p><p>   “They’re called <em>chaps</em> and they’re real important for protecting your legs,” McCree said with disdain. He tossed them aside and sat back down. The next game was really close. Hanzo had won two rounds, but so had McCree. They both flipped over their cards and Hanzo let out a grunt of surprise.</p><p>   “Well wouldja look at that! We’re matchin’!” McCree exclaimed, grinning at Hanzo’s surprise.</p><p>   “What happens next?” Hanzo demanded.</p><p>   “Hmm… well we never actually covered this in the rules, so… I suppose there are two choices. I’ll let you decide. Either we both take off a piece o’ clothin’ or we duel, which is basically where you put down three cards and then flip the fourth one over saying, ‘I-de-clare-war,’ as you do so.”</p><p>   “Let us duel. I will not be defeated so easily!” Hanzo exclaimed, clenching his left fist determinedly. McCree grinned at how fired up Hanzo was getting.</p><p><em>   That’s gonna be so much fun later…</em> he fantasized as he nodded at the archer with a wink. They put down their cards.</p><p>   “I-de-clare-WAR!” As they flipped over their cards, McCree’s face went white, and Hanzo cheered loudly.</p><p>   “Pants,” Hanzo demanded, eyeing the cowboy hungrily now. McCree glared at him, but stood up and took off his pants slowly, teasing the archer. Hanzo stared at him lustfully now as McCree slid his pants down over his ass and pulled them off his legs one by one, revealing a pair of red boxer briefs. Then, he fixed Hanzo with a sly grin.</p><p>   “Oh, I’ll get you for this, Shimada,” he growled in a low voice. Hanzo won again and a worried expression crossed McCree’s face for a moment before he steeled his nerves and waited for Hanzo to demand another article of clothing.</p><p>   “Briefs,” he said in a cold, even tone of voice that sent chills up McCree’s spine. He lay down on the cold, stone floor, propping his head up on his elbow with his other hand lazily draped across his legs. McCree faltered for a moment before hesitantly going to remove them.</p><p>   “Perfect… It seems that you are nothing without your cheats, after all,” Hanzo remarked. McCree’s hands stopped at the waistband of his briefs. “I was right before. Once an outlaw, <em>always</em> an outlaw.” McCree glared at Hanzo now and Hanzo smirked as he goaded him, hoping he’d get to see some of the gunslinger’s rage firsthand.</p><p>   “Really? Nothin’ huh?” he growled before tackling the archer and pinning him down, pressing his crotch into Hanzo’s ass. Hanzo was shocked at his sudden attack and rolled himself over. McCree rolled with him but positioned himself so that he was still on top of the stern archer. Hanzo, completely taken aback, was about to deliver another jab to McCree’s nose when he saw the playful expression and devilish grin on the cowboy’s face.</p><p>   “Yet another trick!” Hanzo growled, gaping in shock as he fought the arousal within him.</p><p>   “One you seem to like, Shimada,” McCree jested, leaning into Hanzo and biting and sucking his neck firmly. Hanzo stifled a groan as heat rushed to his face and through his body at the feeling of McCree’s against his own. As McCree moved down his neck, biting and sucking repeatedly, Hanzo instinctively grabbed the waistband of McCree’s briefs, bunching them in his hands as he resisted the urge to tear the Cowboy apart.</p><p>   “P-presumptuous Cowboy!” he spat before letting out a light moan as McCree bit the nipple that his kyudo-gi exposed. Hanzo’s chest heaved in distress at the pleasure he was feeling, and it worsened as McCree let out a breathy chuckle and began to pull the rest of it off.</p><p>   “What I’m about to do next definitely ain’t a trick,” he said softly, leaning his face into Hanzo’s stomach and kissing him lower and lower. Hanzo’s hands tightened even more around McCree’s briefs, threatening to travel to his ass.</p><p>   Suddenly, a flicker of movement caught Hanzo’s attention and a huge rabbit came hopping around the corner into the cave. It froze as it saw McCree and Hanzo.</p><p>   “McCree…” Hanzo breathed, slowly stopping the gunslinger. McCree opened his eyes and slowly drew his gun, aiming it at the critter, but Hanzo stopped him again, quickly grabbing his bow that was to the right of him, nocking an arrow, and shooting the rabbit cleanly through its heart.</p><p>   “Less noise,” Hanzo said breathily, still underneath McCree. Their eyes met again, and McCree was about to jump the archer once more when a scowl appeared on Hanzo’s face, and he kicked McCree off of him hard. McCree rolled backwards with the force of the kick and jumped up to his feet, grabbing his stomach where Hanzo's foot hit him and glaring at him in confusion.</p><p>   “Stay away from me. I’m here on a mission, not to be your personal plaything,” Hanzo spat vehemently, walking over to pick up the rabbit and retrieve his arrow. He threw the rabbit down on the floor of the cave in front of McCree and then walked over to his quiver. He took one of his extra bowstrings out of the quiver and tied it around his right arm. Then, he put his tabi and boots on and began to leave the cave.</p><p>   “Where the hell are you goin’?! I thought I told you we needed to stay inside the cave until nightfall!” McCree protested, rising to his feet. Hanzo whipped around and glared at the gunslinger.</p><p>   “I will not sit here with you and be accosted again. I am going to make myself useful and get some firewood and tinder. I won’t be noticed by anyone.” Hanzo turned away from the cowboy and began walking outside the cave. McCree raised his pistol and cocked it, aiming it square at Hanzo’s head. Hanzo stopped in his tracks.</p><p>   “You’re not goin’ anywhere!” McCree growled in a low, intense voice. He breathed heavily, anxious at the very thought of Talon backing them into a corner. He had no desire to become like Widowmaker, their crazy ass sniper who had been thrown through the wringer; brainwashed and used to kill her own husband, an Overwatch agent.</p><p>   Moreover, he didn’t want to become like Reyes. He clenched his metal fist tightly, causing the metal to make a sickening grinding screech. He gritted his teeth and watched as Hanzo turned around, eyeing him with piercing dark brown eyes.</p><p>   “You won’t shoot me. Your finger isn’t even on the trigger,” he stated as he turned back around. Just before he left the cave, he added, “and if you <em>ever</em> threaten me again, I’ll make sure it is the last time you do so.”</p><p>   McCree cursed and put his gun away before pacing back and forth worriedly. As much as he was attracted to the stern, Japanese archer, he didn’t trust him much at all. He growled under his breath as he put his pants, chaps, socks, and boots back on and lit up another cigar, breathing it deeply to calm his nerves before he slumped listlessly to the ground. He sighed heavily as he wondered whether or not he should just take off right then and there.</p><p>   He enjoyed the company, but he didn’t like the thought of Hanzo leading Talon right to his doorstep.</p><p><em>   I’ve been alone too long… </em>he thought to himself morbidly, <em>so if he leads Talon to me, so be it, but I don’t much feel like bein’ alone right now…</em> He walked over to the duffel bag and pulled out the bottle of Whiskey, sipping it casually and slowly.</p>
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<a name="section0007"><h2>7. NOT ALONE</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I don't own Overwatch, Blizzard does. I did write this story though! I hope you all enjoy it! :)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>   Hanzo had to travel a good distance from the cave to find wood and tinder to burn, but he collected a good amount of it from Sycamore trees. In two hours, he was finished collecting what they needed. He gathered the wood and tinder together, removed the bowstring from his arm, and tied it all up into a bundle. He finally wiped the sweat off his brow, took a deep breath, and rested for a moment, staring in the direction of the cave as he worried about McCree.</p><p><em>   I hope he’s alright. I may have been a bit too… harsh. It seems that he has been on his own for a long time, just as I have. Perhaps we have both been on our own for too long. I should get back quickly. </em>He picked up the bundle with a low, strained grunt and headed back to the cave.</p><p>   “It took me awhile to find some trees, but I have gathered the necessary—”</p><p>   A gasp of horror escaped Hanzo's mouth and the bundle fell from his hands, clattering onto the floor. McCree was lying on the floor in a pool of his own blood, his revolver in his right hand, while his mechanical hand was clenched in a tight fist. Hanzo immediately regretted the things he had said to the cowboy and the way he had acted.</p><p>   “McCree!” Hanzo yowled, rushing over to his bow and using his dragon ability to launch a sonic arrow in the top of the cave in case he had been shot by Talon. He glanced around the room, looking for an unseen enemy, but all he noticed was a jackrabbit hiding behind a nearby rock. He threw his bow down and dove towards McCree, rolling him over and searching for the bullet wound. It appeared to be on his chest somewhere, but as Hanzo ripped open his shirt and saw nothing but a splotch of reddish-pink juice, he scrunched his face up in confusion.</p><p>   “What…?” he wondered aloud.</p><p>   Suddenly, McCree sat up, an angry look on his face as he clutched his head.</p><p>   “Where’s that goddamned Coyote?!” he exclaimed before turning and seeing Hanzo sitting beside him with an incredulous look on his face. “Oh, it’s you…” He backed away from Hanzo and walked over to his bag, pulling the Whiskey back out of it and taking a long, hopeful, sip of it to dull the pain in his head. He put one hand against his forehead and winced.</p><p>   “I… I thought you were dead…!” Hanzo exclaimed angrily as he ran his hand through the red juice on the ground of the cave. “What is this?!”</p><p>   McCree let out a surprised laugh.</p><p>   “Ah, sorry. That’d be Chokecherry juice. The color of the canyon cave dirt must make the berry juice look darker. Sorry about that. I found several berry shrubs nearby and decided to collect some for us. That was until I was followed by a rogue coyote who decided to give me a hard time.” He chuckled and rubbed his head at the throbbing pain. “Little shit tripped me up and made me hit my head pretty hard. I guess he made off with most of the berries too. Surprisingly, he didn’t take the rabbit, though.”</p><p>   Hanzo grabbed McCree’s arm, pulling him out of the cave before checking the pupils of his eyes.</p><p>   “You appear to have suffered a minor concussion. You should rest,” Hanzo informed him. McCree pulled away from the archer in annoyance, shooting him a quick glare. After Hanzo's outburst at McCree for assuming that touching him was alright, he didn't want to open up to him and unintentionally open up another can of worms.</p><p>   “Thanks, <em>Doc,”</em> he spat, “but I reckon it’s none of your concern.” He walked back into the cave, grabbed the bundle of sticks and tinder, and began making a small fire in the middle of the room. He picked up some nearby stones and formed a circle with them to keep the fire contained. Hanzo sighed heavily as he watched the Cowboy work.</p><p>   “McCree, perhaps I was a bit testy earlier. I apologize,” Hanzo stated, watching as McCree poured a small amount of whiskey on the twigs and started a fire with his lighter. Then, he sat back with a sad look in his eyes and took another long swig of whiskey.</p><p>   “You shouldn’t be the one apologizin’. Earlier… you said I ‘accosted’ you. I’m sorry… I really thought you were—” McCree stopped and scoffed shaking his head. “Well it don’t matter what I <em>thought</em>. Point is, you felt like I was forcin’ you into somethin’ you didn’t want, and I’m truly sorry. I want you to know though that if you had told me to stop, I would have done so in a heartbeat. Either way, it won’t happen again; I give you my word. No more flirting, no more tricks, and no more… accosting.”</p><p>   Hanzo struggled to keep a neutral expression on his face as he thought about what he had said to McCree and the violent way he had knocked him away from himself. He placed a hand on his neck where McCree had first bitten him and rubbed it lightly as he stared at the cowboy with a look of disappointment on his face.</p><p>
  <em>   Why can I not admit that I want him? Is it wrong for me to want him so badly? I did not mean to hurt him…</em>
</p><p>   “You alright?” McCree asked, tearing Hanzo out of his thoughts.</p><p>   “What? Oh, yes, I am fine. Thank you for… being considerate.”</p><p><em>   No, Hanzo you fool! I do not want him to be considerate! I want him to f— </em>Hanzo’s thoughts were cut off once more as McCree let out a woeful chuckle.</p><p>   “Well, I really want us to get along. Besides, we’re together for a whole week, remember?” He smiled half-heartedly and poked the fire with a stick, stirring it up a bit before he turned to the rabbit, pulled the knife out of the knife sheath on his belt, and skinned and gutted it.</p><p>   “Right…” Hanzo murmured in response, his eyes scanning the floor as his thoughts raced once more.</p><p><em>   One week to win him over. </em>Hanzo thought to himself, almost smiling. <em>Too easy.</em></p><p>   McCree had Hanzo get more of the berries he found and used them to cook into the rabbit for flavor. The sky darkened with beautiful hues of purple, pink, and burnt orange, and the canyons below were darkening; a deep blue-violet shadow slowly spreading across them. Hanzo gazed at it, completely enthralled as he lay atop a large rock just outside the cave.</p><p><em>   The desert is a truly beautiful place… </em>he thought to himself, turning his head slightly as he heard footsteps behind him. The gunslinger was walking towards him. He had taken off his shirt because of the heat of the fire and Hanzo could see a large bruise beginning to form across his stomach where he had kicked him. A pang of guilt tore through him, sharper than one of his arrows. McCree stopped at the rock Hanzo was lying on and looked out at the sunset beside him.</p><p>   “Betcha don’t see nothin’ like that back home, huh?” he drawled, running a hand through his sandy-brown hair turned auburn in the radiance of the sun. In the orange light, his eyes shone with a golden hue, making them glow like the first embers of a fire. Hanzo stared at the handsome gunslinger as he realized the man was just as beautiful as the sunset.</p><p>   “No,” Hanzo admitted, still staring at McCree with longing. McCree’s eyes met Hanzo’s, but as he smiled, Hanzo quickly turned his head back towards the sunset and added, “w-we have sunsets in Japan, but nothing like this… Well, unless one were to visit Mount Fuji.” McCree sighed as he looked out at the sunset once more.</p><p>   “Well, food’s done. You comin’?” he informed Hanzo. Hanzo nodded and slid down the rock, following after McCree. When McCree handed him a rabbit leg, Hanzo had been skeptical, initially sneering at it. However, as he took a bite of it, he was amazed at how delicious it was.</p><p>   “This is really good. Where did you learn to cook like this?” he asked the tired cowboy. McCree smiled sadly as he stared into the fire.</p><p>   “I taught myself,” he stated. “I’ve been on the run for a long time. It started when I was 15. My father killed my mother and I killed him in self-defense. Or at least, that's the lie I told myself. I went on the run from the law, stealin', scrappin, and doing whatever I could to survive, until I met Ashe. She was a demon, lemme tell ya, but damn... that woman was like a sister to me. We founded the Deadlock Rebels along with a few other ne’er-do-wells.”</p><p>   “What… happened next?” Hanzo pressed, taking another bite of the rabbit.</p><p>   McCree chuckled and demanded, “Aww, c'mon, Hanzo, are ya really that interested in me?”</p><p>   “I am merely curious. Tell me if you want, or don’t. It does not matter to me in the slightest.” McCree fixed him with a disbelieving stare and raised one eyebrow before he proceeded to tell Hanzo about how his mentor, Gabriel Reyes, captured him and brought him into Blackwatch, the covert ops division of Overwatch.</p><p>   “That’s where I met your brother too. We hit it off well and were best friends. He became like a brother to me, in a way,” he enthused, smiling brightly with nostalgia lighting up his eyes for a brief moment before they dulled, and the smile faded.</p><p>   “But as most good things tend to, Overwatch came to an end… There was a lot of in-fighting and politics involved that I didn’t want any part of, so I left. Unfortunately, I guess I screwed myself over. The deal was that I work for Blackwatch for a certain amount of time and my record would be wiped clean. I could’ve had a normal life like anyone else… When I up and left, that deal went away, and I was a wanted man once more. I lived off the land, found this cave, and did whatever I could to survive. Kinda hard when there’s a $50,000,000 bounty on your head though.”</p><p>   He shrugged and added, “I went around in disguise doing a ton of vigilante work and collectin’ the rewards for various bounties." He laughed loudly. "Folks called me The Mystery Man. Racked up a good amount of money recently; enough to buy my own place away from everyone and everything else.”</p><p>   Hanzo stared at the crestfallen man with new respect before taking a sip of his water and staring at the bottle as he lost himself in his own thoughts.</p><p>
  <em>   He has had to struggle to survive all these years, being chased by law enforcement, while I’ve been acting in the shadows as an assassin and making a decent amount of money… I have been living comfortably while he spent most of his days wondering when he would get his next meal.</em>
</p><p>   “We have both been alone for a long time. You didn’t have a choice, but I stayed isolated out of regret for my past sins. My loneliness is my own fault,” Hanzo pointed out regretfully, rubbing his thumb in anxious circles along the water bottle.</p><p>   “Well, you’re not alone anymore, Hanzo,” McCree said with a warm voice and a smile that was just as sincere. As Hanzo met his gaze, McCree's eyes widened, and he quickly looked away and murmured an apology. “Sorry… didn’t mean to sound flirtatious, I just meant—”</p><p>   “You are not alone anymore either, McCree,” Hanzo declared, taking off his kyudo-gi and fluffing it up into a pillow, turning away from the cowboy as he closed his eyes and readied himself for sleep. McCree gaped in awe at Hanzo before fixing his turned back with a heartfelt smile. Even though his eyes were closed, Hanzo could sense the cowboy smiling at him, and his own lips turned up at the thought of it as he drifted off into a peaceful sleep.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. UNCHARTED WATERS</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Blizzard owns Overwatch, but I own this story! I hope you enjoy! :)<br/>Also some reference to Lion King. Lion King belongs to Disney!</p><p>DISCLAIMER: In this chapter, there is life-threatening injury, so if that would be a trigger for you, beware! You been warned :)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>   Hanzo slowly opened his eyes and sat up, rubbing the back of his stiff neck. Sleeping on the floor of a filthy cave was not ideal for him. He couldn’t wait to get back to the city so he could take a hot shower and sleep in a real bed. He sighed as he thought about what they would eat for breakfast and shot McCree a thoughtful glance. The cowboy was still fast asleep, snoring lightly, even as a trickle of sunlight poured into the cave.</p><p>   Hanzo put his kyudo-gi back on, tucked them into his hakama, tied his extra bowstring around his arm, and grabbed his bow and quiver, eager to catch them something for breakfast. First, he scouted the area to make sure that Talon wasn’t lurking. When he didn’t catch sight of anything suspicious, he set out towards the area he got the wood from. There was a grouping of Sycamore trees, and Hanzo knew there could be a bird's nest nearby.</p><p>   He sat in the branches of an empty tree and waited patiently for awhile until he heard a bird’s call coming from the tree across from him. He shot his sonic arrow at the tree and the birds were marked as they flew up into the air frantically. Hanzo drew back his bow and fired it rapidly, spearing four of the birds out of the twelve or so that flew out of the tree.</p><p>   Then, he slung his bow around him and rushed over to the tree, scaling it expertly and searching for nests. He grinned as he found several of them and collected a fair amount, making sure to leave at least three in each nest for a new generation. Since they were quail, they wouldn’t make for a very big meal, and he didn’t know how much the cowboy liked to eat. Even so, four quail and sixteen eggs would make for a great breakfast.</p><p>   He carefully wrapped the quail eggs into a pouch using his hair tie and placed them inside his kyudo-gi. Then, he retrieved his arrows and tied the quail together with the bowstring around his wrist. He was about to head back, but stopped, gazing around curiously.</p><p><em>   A group of quail would not roost in the middle of the desert like this… There must be a source of water nearby…</em> he thought to himself as he began to explore the area for a while.</p><p>   McCree stirred as he heard soft footsteps approaching. He grabbed his gun out of its holster and jumped up, ready to shoot; a feral snarl forming on his lips. Then, he groaned and put his gun back in the holster as he saw that it was Hanzo.</p><p>   “Sorry, Hanzo… I’m… not used to someone else bein’ here when I wake up,” he apologized.</p><p>   “I understand. Worry not,” he responded sympathetically before laughing loudly and holding up the four quail in one of his hands and the eggs, bundled up in his hair tie, in his other hand. “I went out to search for our breakfast and have returned victorious!” A light breeze blew through the cave, tousling Hanzo’s long, loose hair and making him look like a cartoon villain as he laughed, McCree thought.</p><p>   McCree chuckled and smiled warmly at the Japanese archer.</p><p>   “Thanks, Hanzo. I’m really glad I can depend on ya,” McCree drawled as he sat down and started another fire to cook the quail. Hanzo smiled back before his usual stern expression washed over him once more. They both sat side by side as they plucked and cleaned the birds and Hanzo cleared his throat.</p><p>   “How would you feel about bathing today?” he inquired.</p><p>   “Bathing? Well, I dunno if you’ve noticed, Hanzo, but we’re nowhere near a body of water. I’m actually surprised you managed to find so much game right now as it is,” McCree admitted. Hanzo chuckled, a knowing grin on his face as he finished plucking his bird and passed it on to McCree. McCree took the entrails out and washed it off as Hanzo picked up the next one.</p><p>   “What if I told you that I found signs of wildlife and tracked them to a hidden lake surrounded by the canyon?” McCree’s hands froze.</p><p>   “<em>You</em> found a secret lake somewhere?” he asked incredulously. Hanzo raised an eyebrow.</p><p>   “Do you doubt in my ability to do so?”</p><p>   “Nah, it’s just…” McCree swayed the knife lightly in his hand as he spoke, trying to phrase his words just right, “you seem like a city boy, you know? I figured you knew how to use that bow o’ yours, but not for hunting.”</p><p>   Hanzo let out a low hum and stared thoughtfully at the quail in his hands as he plucked it.</p><p>   “My father used to take my brother and I hunting. He taught us to track, sense prey, and predict their movements. He also taught us about hunting predators. We went wolf hunting several times, and once, me and father were surrounded by a whole pack of them. I was only twelve and was very afraid, but my father drew his sword and protected me fiercely.”</p><p>   “Hmm… Genji never told me anythin’ like that. He said your father was good to him, but that you really never got to see that side of him,” McCree informed him.</p><p>   Hanzo scowled at McCree, balling his fists threateningly.</p><p>   “My father was a good, noble man who came from a long line of Samurai!”</p><p>   “A good man who beat his son senseless on many an occasion during sword training? A good man who yelled at and abused his wife? A good man who forced his son to be the next leader of a criminal organization? No. You and I are cut from the same cloth. Our fathers were selfish and terrible at bein’ dads,” McCree objected.</p><p>   McCree watched Hanzo’s face contort with sorrow and confusion, and he suddenly saw the archer in a new light as he admitted, “My father’s methods may have been harsh, bordering on cruel, but he taught me many things and made me as strong as I am today. I will always be thankful for him.”</p><p><em>   He and I are similar, but also very different. While my father’s darkness drove me to rebel and be my own person, Hanzo decided to become just like his father and follow in his footsteps obediently it seems… </em>McCree realized.</p><p>   Hanzo sped up the pace, plucking the other quails at breakneck speed and throwing them at McCree’s feet before leaving the cave. McCree stared after him regretfully, but kept working on the quail, knowing it would spoil if he didn’t clean and cook it for them. When the eggs and quail were cooked, McCree walked outside to find Hanzo lying upon the same rock that he watched the sunset on the night before.</p><p>   “Mind if I join ya?” McCree asked him softly. Hanzo scooted over slightly and McCree climbed up and lay down beside him, careful not to touch him, though there was very little space on the rock. “Wow, the view here really is somethin’! I feel like I could recite somethin’ out of Lion King, like…”</p><p>   He cleared his throat dramatically and held his hands up in a graceful flowing pose as he declared in a deep voice, “Listen here, Hanzo… Everythin’ the light touches is our kingdom!” When Hanzo didn’t respond, McCree sighed deeply with a frown on his face.</p><p>   Hanzo, noticing the gunslinger’s disappointment, sighed, rolled his eyes, and asked, “What about that dark shadowy place over there?” He pointed to an area of the canyon that was filled with rocky structures that shaded it from the light, and McCree laughed in surprise.</p><p>   “That’s beyond our borders Hanzo. We can’t go there.”</p><p>   “I thought a cowboy could go wherever he wants,” Hanzo joked, grinning half-heartedly.</p><p>   “There’s more to bein’ a cowboy than that! Besides, have you seen the size of the rattlesnakes that live down there? I’ll be damned if I’m gonna go there just to get bit!”</p><p>   To McCree’s surprise, Hanzo laughed loudly and sincerely for the first time since he had met him. His face changed completely when he smiled; he was inviting and warm and it made McCree want to pull him into his arms and connect with him on a deeper level. Still, he knew that Hanzo may take it the wrong way, so he refrained from it, merely chuckling good-naturedly and turning his gaze back towards the canyon.</p><p>   “Was that supposed to be your impression of Mufasa? Pathetic!” Hanzo poked at him.</p><p>   “Hey now! It was Western Cowboy Mufasa! I’ll have you know I’m great at accents too. You should hear my Italian!” McCree countered jokingly.</p><p>   “I think I will pass on that for now.” Hanzo winced but smiled all the same. A few moments later, McCree sighed deeply.</p><p>   “Hey, uh… Hanzo, I just wanted to tell you I’m sorry for talkin’ about your father like that. I really didn’t mean to get up in your business like I did and talk about things I don’t really know about firsthand.” Hanzo shook his head.</p><p>   “Actually, McCree,” he began sadly, “you are right. It was following my father’s footsteps that inevitably led me to kill Genji in the first place. Even so, I feel lost. I trained for most of my life to be Oyabun of the Shimada Clan, but when I cut my brother down, I—”</p><p>   He stopped as his breath caught in his throat and closed his eyes. “I did not realize how much my ambition would cost me… and now, I feel as though I belong nowhere. I’m wandering, McCree, and I do not have a destination…”</p><p>   McCree stared at the archer thoughtfully before reaching over towards him with one hand impulsively to stroke his cheek and comfort him. Hanzo’s hand flew up and grabbed his arm tightly, intercepting it. His eyes locked onto the cowboy’s and he searched them warily.</p><p>   Then, McCree spoke softly, saying, “I’m wandering too. You never know where life’s gonna take ya, so it’s best that you take it one step at a time. Our first destination is gonna be headin’ into the cave for breakfast. How’s that sound?” Hanzo gaped at McCree’s soft smile and warm eyes and his grip around the compassionate cowboy’s arm slowly loosened, though he didn’t really want to let go.</p><p>   “It sounds… like a plan,” Hanzo agreed. McCree gently pulled his hand back towards him and Hanzo jumped down from the rock and headed inside first, frustrated with himself for being unable to express himself to the handsome gunslinger in the way he wanted.</p><p><em>   This was not hard to do yesterday when I was drunk… Why can I not do this sober? </em>he wondered as he grabbed one of the cooked quails and began to eat. Once again, the flavor was nice, and the meat was tender. He smiled at the taste of it and McCree sat beside him, grabbing some of the scrambled eggs from the rock he had cooked them on, and tossing them into his mouth.</p><p>   “So,” he said as he chewed, “about this hidden lake o’ yours… Think we can go there after breakfast?”</p><p>   “Certainly,” Hanzo said with an eager smile on his face as he took another bite of quail. McCree noticed Hanzo’s bright expression and found himself grinning as well.</p><p>   “You know, when you smile…” McCree began, staring down at his food. Then, he let out a low chuckle and shook his head. “Ah, never mind!”</p><p>   Hanzo raised an eyebrow at the gunslinger and the expression on his face retreated back into his typical stern stare as he demanded seriously, “Should I stop smiling, then?”</p><p>   “No!” McCree exclaimed, gaping at Hanzo in shock as he realized he objected a little too quickly. Then, he laughed it off nervously, shrugged, and turned away from the archer to eat his food. Hanzo stared at him in disbelief for a moment and whipped around in the opposite direction. Then, the smallest smile appeared on his face and a slight blush crept across his cheeks as he glanced furtively at McCree once more before focusing on his meal.</p><p>   When they were ready to go, Hanzo and McCree put out the fire and scouted the area for signs of Talon before heading out. Hanzo led the way to the lake and upon seeing it, McCree let out an excited chuckle.</p><p>   “Wow, you really weren’t jokin’ about this place! It’s great!” he hollered, taking off his clothing. He stripped down to his underwear and slowly entered the water. Hanzo put his bow off to the side, sat on the edge of the lake, took his boots and tabi off, rolled up his hakama, and dipped his feet in. He watched as McCree waded further in.</p><p>   McCree looked back at him, noticing his hesitation.</p><p>   “Are you really not gonna get in? The water’s great!”</p><p>   “I… I would rather not. Besides, one of us has to remain on the lookout for Talon,” Hanzo excused himself poorly. McCree shot him a skeptical look before pretending to be yanked underwater and drown. Hanzo shot up, his face frantic and concerned as he stared after the distressed man. He waited about ten seconds before he stripped his clothing down to his briefs and dove in after the cowboy.</p><p>   When he reached him and realized that McCree could stand just fine where he was and have his head well above the water, he grabbed the foolish man by his hair roughly, dragging him above the surface.</p><p>   “Ow! Oh hey, Hanzo. Glad you could join me!” McCree teased him, smiling devilishly as he splashed a stream of water at the unamused archer. Hanzo gritted his teeth in annoyance and his fists balled up.</p><p>   “If you ever pretend your life is in danger again when it is not, I will personally endanger it for you to give you a more realistic experience!” he threatened as he stomped out of the water and began to wring his hair dry. McCree laughed and waded deeper into the lake, playfully jumping around.</p><p>   “Oh, come on, Hanzo! I was only—” he cut off as he lurched off a ledge and was met with a sudden drop into extremely deep water. Panic began to set in, and his heart raced as he floundered, desperately trying to make it back to the ledge, or at least keep his head above water. Despite his best efforts, he began to sink, and this time, he struggled to hold his breath.</p><p>   “Just stop, already, McCree! I have had it with your antics!” Hanzo yelled in annoyance, watching the man disappear below the water. Twenty seconds went by and Hanzo began to wonder if he was really faking.</p><p>   Ten more seconds went by and Hanzo took a running start and leapt into the water once more, swimming frantically towards McCree as he saw his limp body suspended in the middle of the water, far below the surface. Hanzo grabbed him and dragged him above the surface, pulling him back onto the shallow end before fireman carrying him onto dry land.</p><p>   He flipped the gunslinger onto his side to let the water drain from his mouth and checked for a pulse. It was weak and thready and he wasn’t breathing. He let out a growl of frustration and turned him onto his back. He took a deep breath and pressed his lips against McCree’s, holding his nose as he forced his own breath into the dying man’s lungs. He breathed for him several more times and then turned him on his side, cupping his hand and hitting his back hard before bringing him back to the center to breathe for him.</p><p>   “McCree! You said I wasn’t alone anymore! You can’t leave me behind!” Hanzo cried as he desperately tried to breathe life into the man with a foot in the grave. He checked his pulse. It was still the same. He began doing chest compressions, kept breathing for him, and hit his back to move the water.</p><p>   Tears stung his eyes and his cries of desperation weakened as he kept up his rescue breathing. He had been giving rescue breaths and hitting McCree on the back for almost five minutes and he was getting light-headed. Hanzo despaired as he didn’t know how long he could keep going before he’d run out of breath and pass out.</p><p>   “McCree… please…!” he begged, taking another deep breath and forcing himself to continue. Suddenly, a gurgling noise sounded in the hardy cowboy’s lungs and Hanzo flipped him onto his side, hitting his back hard with cupped hands as the water drained from his mouth and he began to cough. A low, weak groan escaped him, and for the first time, the outlaw looked so vulnerable. He brought the cowboy back to center, where Hanzo pressed his lips against the near-drowned man’s and breathed into him once more.</p><p>   McCree’s eyes fluttered open at the warmth of Hanzo’s lips against his own, and he instinctively pulled Hanzo into him, kissing him softly. Hanzo’s eyes widened with shock and although he wanted to pull away and refuse the cowboy’s advances, he was too drained from the rescue breathing he had done. Plus, in all reality, he yearned for McCree’s touch. He gave into McCree’s tender kisses, kissing him back firmly while the cowboy ran rough, shaky hands along Hanzo’s face and around his back. They finally stopped kissing and lay there for a while until they caught their breath.</p><p>   “That was… one hell of a save, Shimada,” McCree remarked slyly before breaking off in a coughing fit, “I thought I was… in heaven for a hot minute.”</p><p>   “Shut up,” Hanzo bit back weakly, “you are lucky I did not leave you here to die after the stunt you pulled to get me into the water in the first place. I almost did. Fortunate for you, I have a mission to carry out.”</p><p>   “And… the kiss…?”</p><p>   “That was CPR. Those were rescue breaths.”</p><p>   “I’m talkin’ ‘bout the one you graced me with <em>after</em> I came back to the land of the livin’,” McCree demanded, his eyes fluttering weakly as he smiled slyly at the grouchy Samurai. Hanzo let out a low growl and closed his eyes; his eyebrows furrowing impatiently.</p><p>   “I was too tired to move after saving you, and you kissed me. I saw no other choice but to indulge you,” he lied, turning away from McCree. “What’s wrong with you, anyways? Don’t you know how to swim?”</p><p>   “Actually, I don’t… I grew up a rancher, then an outlaw, and finally an Overwatch agent, so I never actually learned how to swim… Too busy with missions on land, and not enough bodies of water nearby.”</p><p>   “Then perhaps I should teach you, so this doesn’t happen again. Also, you can let go of me now.”</p><p>   “Do I have to?” McCree demanded, his arms tightening around Hanzo’s body. Hanzo’s lips parted for a moment and a flush of heat ran through him as he struggled with his lust for the handsome Cowboy.</p><p>   “I suppose not. I am much too tired to move anyways,” he lied once more. McCree grinned and pulled himself closer to the archer, relishing in the warmth of his skin and breathing in his scent. His eyes fluttered closed once more as he fell asleep, taking in Hanzo’s natural musty odor that made him think of pine trees in the middle of a vast ocean. Hanzo closed his eyes as well, smiling warmly at the feeling of the cowboy against him.</p><p>   When they both stirred awake, Hanzo and McCree got dressed and Hanzo helped the near-drowned cowboy back to the cave. Hanzo insisted that McCree rest for at least three days since there was a potential for him to get pneumonia after taking as much water into his lungs as he did.</p><p>   Hanzo hunted and foraged for their meals, and every few hours, he checked McCree’s temperature with his forearm. The gunslinger relished in the archer’s gentle touch, and unbeknownst to him, Hanzo had taken a liking to him as well.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. DID I LET YOU KNOW?</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Blizzard owns Overwatch, but I own this story! :) Also, there's some Lion King references in here. Lion King belongs to Disney. I hope everyone is staying safe during these crazy times! And as always, I hope ya'll enjoy my stories!</p>
<p>DISCLAIMER: Some life-threatening injuries and stuff happen in this chapter, so in case it's a trigger, you've been warned :)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>   They sat together as they played cards on the fifth day. McCree taught Hanzo how to play poker, and now Hanzo was hustling him, rather than it being the other way around. He chuckled at the fact that the foolish man never bothered to check and see if he was cheating.</p>
<p>   “McCree, are you sure you’re—” Hanzo began worriedly, suddenly eyeing the annoyed man with concern.</p>
<p>   “Damn it, Shimada, will ya stop worryin’? I’m doin’ just fine. I stopped coughing after the first day!” McCree interrupted him, growling in frustration. “Besides, you already fed me and made sure I didn’t have a fever!”</p>
<p>   “Good,” Hanzo remarked with a sly smile before he turned over his hand to reveal a royal flush, “I just wanted to make sure you weren’t going to die of shock at my third winning hand in a row!”</p>
<p>   “Goddammit, Hanzo, you slick bastard,” McCree swore, grinning from ear to ear. He threw down his hand and chuckled darkly before shuddering violently at his next thought: he wanted to head back to the lake and have Hanzo teach him how to swim, despite his fear of drowning again. “Hey, Hanzo. Do you think you could… teach me how to swim today?”</p>
<p>   Hanzo gathered the cards back into a neat pile, staring at them thoughtfully for a moment before meeting the gunslinger’s gaze with admiration that he was facing his fears.</p>
<p>   “We can. Let’s go,” he said, grabbing his things and preparing for the journey back to the lake. When they got there, they both stripped and Hanzo began teaching McCree the basics: floating, breathing, and treading water. He caught on well, but as soon as he had to go into the deeper section of the lake, he faltered, staring at the deep, dark water fearfully.</p>
<p>   “Here,” Hanzo offered, giving him a gentle smile and stretching out his hand, “lie on your back and float. I will guide you.” McCree took a deep breath and did as Hanzo said, grabbing his hand for a feeling of security. To his surprise, Hanzo let go but swam beneath McCree, pressing his body against the handsome gunslinger’s, causing McCree to lay directly on top of him as he floated.</p>
<p>   “Well now, I wasn’t expectin’ this, but I kinda like where this is goin’,” he drawled, smiling warmly, as he opened his eyes and turned his face towards Hanzo’s. Their lips were centimeters apart now, but as McCree leaned in to Hanzo, the archer swam out from underneath him and grabbed his hand once more to steady him.</p>
<p>   He cleared his throat loudly and declared in a gruff, even tone of voice, “Let us begin.” They practiced swimming for most of the day and McCree finally became confident in his swimming ability enough to freestyle to the other side of the lake and back. Hanzo smiled proudly as the confident swimmer hopped out of the water and approached him.</p>
<p>   “Congratulations, you now know how to swim,” Hanzo remarked, smiling victoriously at the cowboy. McCree smiled back warmly and Hanzo’s breath caught in his throat as the man wrapped two strong arms around his back in a hug, pulling their bodies together. The warmth of McCree’s body against his own made Hanzo yearn for more of him, and he gripped McCree’s hips, struggling to regain control over himself.</p>
<p>   “This is for teachin’ me how to swim,” McCree murmured into Hanzo’s ear. “And <em>this</em>…” McCree pulled Hanzo in for a series of deep kisses before leaning back to gaze into his eyes, a sincere smile on his face. “This is for stayin’ with me and not givin’ up on me when things got rough. Thanks for savin’ my life.”</p>
<p>   Hanzo gaped at McCree, his lips parting briefly in hesitation as he inched closer to meet him again. His eyes fluttered down to the sandy-haired, statuesque man’s lips and in a rush of motion, he kissed McCree back, crashing into him. His hands tightened around McCree’s hips, but this time, they travelled to his ass and dug into it. McCree let out a moan of surprise and ran his hands through Hanzo’s raven-black hair before gliding a hand across his face.</p>
<p>   The archer panted heavily between kisses, biting McCree’s lips, and his right hand snaked along McCree’s abs, rubbing them forcefully while his other hand remained against McCree’s ass, forcing their crotches together. Suddenly, McCree broke off from the kiss, hunching over and groaning as Hanzo’s hand went lower with the hand on his abdomen. Hanzo stepped away from McCree and noticed the large, dark bruise on the lower half of his torso from where he had kicked him away on their first day together. Hanzo slowed down his racing heart and staved off the longing he felt.</p>
<p>
  <em>   Did I bruise some of his ribs? I must have hurt him worse than I thought… I hurt everyone… Genji, McCree… who will be next?</em>
</p>
<p>   “Ah, don’t mind that none. I’m fine,” McCree said upon seeing the look of regret in Hanzo’s eyes. “Now, where were we? As I recall, it was just gettin’ good.” He went to pull Hanzo back into his arms, but the archer stepped backwards lithely, shaking his head as a sorrowful expression washed over him.</p>
<p>   “We should… head back now. It’s getting late,” he said quickly as he quickly shoved his clothing on, grabbed his bow and quiver, and began walking back towards the cave. McCree stared after him sadly, letting out a deep sigh of disappointment as he watched the archer walk off into the sunset.</p>
<p>   That night, they barely spoke to one another, and McCree was at a loss. They had two more days together and he didn’t want to spend them sitting around a cave doing nothing. In the morning, they were both just as quiet. Hanzo had risen early and hunted for their food. This time, he found a couple of rabbits for breakfast. It wasn’t a lot of food, but it would be alright for the first meal of the day.</p>
<p>   Finally, McCree spoke up as a thought crossed his mind.</p>
<p>   “Ya know, Hanzo, in the next town over, there’s a small nightclub o’ sorts. We could go there for a good time, and who knows? Maybe we’ll even be able to find someone who can fix your storage device!” he suggested.</p>
<p>   “Or a phone I could use to contact Genji and give him an update,” Hanzo added, nodding solemnly with a neutral expression on his face. They travelled to the lake and washed their clothing in it before hanging it up to dry. They both went for a relaxing swim as they waited for their garments to dry. When they had tired of swimming, they lay on the shore in the desert heat and sunbathed.</p>
<p>   “Say, Hanzo,” McCree began slowly, “what do you think about returning to Overwatch?” He stared up at the clouds, asking himself the same question.</p>
<p>   Hanzo shot McCree a puzzled look before admitting, “I… honestly haven’t given it much thought. With Overwatch, I must work on a team, but here, you and I work together. I don’t know anyone at Overwatch, plus I do not feel welcome there after what I did to Genji.”</p>
<p>   Silence washed over them and Hanzo broke it by murmuring, “McCree. Same question.” McCree chuckled lightly, running a hand through his beard in thought.</p>
<p>   “Well, I’m still not sure, but I like it here. It’s nice and I think you and I make a great team,” he admitted, looking over at Hanzo with hopeful eyes. For a moment, Hanzo’s lips turned up in a smile, but then the smile fled quickly.</p>
<p>   “We should get going. It will be sundown soon and we still need to get back to the cave,” he said, yet again avoiding his feelings. McCree frowned, bowing his head low and sighing as he trailed after the archer. They rode the motorcycle into the next town over, which was about a half-hour away, and Hanzo parked it just outside a clothing store.</p>
<p>   “I don’t suppose you have any money. We cannot go into a club looking like this…” Hanzo informed McCree. “We will attract too much attention.”</p>
<p>   “Actually, I do have some stowed away for a rainy day!” McCree admitted proudly. He pulled his left boot off and pulled out several bills that Hanzo quickly surmised to be around $3000. He waved them around proudly.</p>
<p>   “Put that away before someone sees!” he protested, shoving the cowboy’s hand back down forcefully. McCree’s eyes glinted at him and he chuckled darkly and quickly pocketed his “rainy day” funds before they entered the suit and dress shop. An Omnic woman greeted them, smiling brightly at them.</p>
<p>   Her design was very Human-like. Her outer covering was made of a dark-coloured steel, but her hair design was long and silvery. Her eyes were a bright green and she had facial features that were a sleek mixture of steel and silicone.</p>
<p><em>   For an Omnic, she’s pretty easy on the eyes…</em> McCree thought to himself as he and Hanzo approached her.</p>
<p>   “Howdy, the name’s Wynona. Welcome to Rattlestitch Clothing. What can I do ya for?” she drawled, leaning her elbow against the counter. Hanzo pulled his hard-light storage out of the folds of his kyudo-gi and held it up.</p>
<p>   “Are you able to repair storage devices without losing their contents?” he asked her. She raised her hands in shock.</p>
<p>   “Whoa there, partner. That’s beyond the capabilities of my programming, I’m sorry to say… However—” she began.</p>
<p>   “I can,” another voice finished from the back of the room. A woman with red hair, a freckled face, and bright blue eyes approached them, a flirtatious grin on her face. “I’m Stacy-Lynn Jackson, I’m Wynona’s assistant. Pleasure to meet you.”</p>
<p>   McCree’s eyes closed halfway in a sultry manner, but his smile brightened as he dipped down, took her hand, and pressed his lips against the top of her palm.</p>
<p>   “Joel Smith,” he introduced himself, “and the pleasure’s all mine.” Hanzo frowned and the neutral expression on his face turned into a sneer at McCree’s sudden change in behavior.</p>
<p>   “We’ll see…” she flirted, leaning in and flicking his nose with the tip of her finger before turning to Hanzo. “And you are?”</p>
<p>   “Satoshi Hanamura,” he said stiffly. Stacy-Lynn scrunched her face up in confusion at his suddenly intimidating expression and held out her hand.</p>
<p>   “I’m goin’ to the club tonight for a bit of fun, but in the morning, I can take a look at it and have it repaired by the afternoon,” she informed the angry-looking archer warily. “And I’ll do it for free, on one tiny little condition…”</p>
<p>   “What is it?” Hanzo demanded.</p>
<p>   Stacy-Lynn turned her head towards the handsome cowboy’s and demanded, “Mr. Joel over there has to have a drink with me at the club.” She watched as Satoshi’s eyes narrowed angrily and confirmed what she had suspected: the stern man liked the cowboy. A smirk spread across her lips as she realized the man was too reserved to confess his attraction.</p>
<p><em>   Well… ya snooze, ya lose, </em>she thought to herself.</p>
<p>   “Sounds great!” McCree agreed. “We’re actually here to purchase suits anyways because that was our plan for the night.”</p>
<p>   “Oh? Great! Maybe I could help you both out with your fittings?” she offered, snatching up the hard-light storage from Hanzo’s hands before she took McCree’s arm and led him to the back. McCree handed Hanzo all his money and told him to pay Wynona for him before they left. Hanzo gaped at her incredulously, watching as she whisked away with McCree.</p>
<p>   Just before they passed the curtains to the back room, her head turned and her eyes met Hanzo’s teasingly as if to say, “He’s mine now.” Hanzo clenched his fists tightly at his side and years of assassin training came flooding back into his mind.</p>
<p>
  <em>   Poison is subtle and can be painful, but an arrow to the head would attract far too much attention, as there would be an investigation afterwards. Snapping the neck is quick and efficient and won’t leave evidence if I handle it correctly. Still there is also—</em>
</p>
<p>   “Mr. Hanamura, come right this way. I can help you with your suit,” Wynona said, snapping Hanzo out of his angry thoughts. Hanzo grunted in acknowledgement and begrudgingly followed her. In the next thirty minutes or so, they were both dressed up in sharp, snazzy suits. McCree was wearing a black suit with a red tie and Hanzo had a black suit vest and matching dress pants with a white undershirt and ocean-blue tie.</p>
<p>   “Wow,” McCree drawled as he came out of the back room and eyed Hanzo with intrigue, “you sure clean up nicely, <em>Hanamura</em>.” Hanzo grunted in acknowledgement and paid Wynona three thousand credits.</p>
<p>   “I appreciate the compliment, and I suppose you look nice as well, <em>Joel</em>,” Hanzo bit back, smiling ever so slightly as he tied his hair in a low, loose ponytail. McCree stood there and admired the way the suit vest and dress pants hugged Hanzo's curves. He was about to say something to him when Stacy-Lynn grabbed his arm and began to drag him out of the store.</p>
<p>   Hanzo sighed, staring after them for a moment before gathering up his and McCree’s old clothing and stowing it in the compartment of his motorcycle. Then, he entered the line and met the bouncer at the front.</p>
<p>   “Ah, yeah. You’re the guy Joel said would be comin’. Go on in and have fun, Hanamura,” the bouncer greeted him. Hanzo murmured his thanks and headed inside warily, looking around at everything. He hated the music already and wasn’t a fan of cheap alcohol. All he wanted was Jesse. Finally, he spotted the gunslinger on the dance floor, but rather than approach him, he approached the bar.</p>
<p>   The bartender walked over to where Hanzo was sitting and followed his gaze before teasing him saying, “You know, that cowboy ain’t gon be available for much longer.” Hanzo turned to see the bartender smirking knowingly at him with playful hazel eyes. His ebony skin gleamed in the natural bluish lighting of the club. “Can I get you some liquid courage? Might help…”</p>
<p>   “Four shots of something strong. Whiskey,” Hanzo demanded. As the bartender lined them up, they disappeared quickly. This time, Hanzo didn’t even cough as he tossed them back, his eyes trained on McCree’s every move on the dance floor.</p>
<p>   “Get out there! You might not get a second chance to have some fun with him! You should go for it. Don’t worry, the alcohol will kick in when it’s ready,” the bartender pressed. Hanzo nodded, put twenty credits on the counter and approached McCree slowly. McCree was doing a simple two-step, but as he spied Hanzo walking up to him, he quickly turned and grabbed Hanzo’s hands in his.</p>
<p>   There was a wicked glint in the cowboy’s eyes that caused Hanzo’s face to flush with heat, and McCree began to body roll, snaking side to side as he led Hanzo onto the dance floor. His body rolls became slower, yet more intense as the music changed. His arms came up as he let go of Hanzo’s hands, but his eyes, a sultry cinnamon brown, were fixed on his and had the same predatory qualities of a wolf.</p>
<p>   Hanzo stood there awkwardly, mystified by McCree’s movements. He wanted the cowboy, badly. At the same time, he knew he couldn’t dance. McCree, sensing his hesitation, gently grabbed Hanzo in his arms and leaned him back against his body, bending his knees slightly as he body-rolled against him.</p>
<p>   “Just move with me, darlin’,” McCree murmured into Hanzo’s ear over the blare of the music. He gave Hanzo’s ear a quick nip and Hanzo began to grind his ass into McCree’s body. The cowboy was shocked, but not opposed to it. His hands rested on Hanzo’s hips and Hanzo reached his arms back, wrapping them around the cowboy’s neck as they danced.</p>
<p>   When the music stopped, they slowly separated, staring at each other in shock. McCree wondered exactly what the confused archer wanted; however, completely embarrassed and angry with himself about his lack of self-control, Hanzo turned and fled back to his safe haven at the bar. McCree started after him, but was stopped by Stacy-Lynn, who gently grabbed his arm.</p>
<p>   “How ‘bout that drink, Joel?” she asked, smiling sweetly at him as she ran a hand through her ginger hair and bit her red-painted bottom lip. McCree stared after Hanzo for another moment before letting out a long sigh and smiling down at her.</p>
<p>   “You know, that sounds like a great idea,” he said, following her over to the bar on the other side of the club.</p>
<p><em>   I can’t keep being strung along like this. There’s someone in front of me right now who wants me and has the courage to tell me so. Hanzo can wait.</em> he rationalized as he smiled at Stacy-Lynn. He shot Hanzo one more look, but this time, all he saw was the back of his suit vest. He sighed deeply and shook his head.</p>
<p>   Hanzo turned and watched McCree drink with Stacy-Lynn. The bartender sighed deeply and offered him a whiskey on the house but Hanzo shook his head. Then, Hanzo gaped in shock as the promiscuous woman leaned forward and kissed McCree flush on the mouth, staring deeply into his eyes.</p>
<p><em>   There’s no way he will— </em>Hanzo’s thoughts were cut off as McCree pulled her into his arms and kissed her back fiercely, his hands running down her body and landing on the small of her back. Hanzo gritted his teeth angrily and his heart raced.</p>
<p>   “Hey, man… I’m really sorry,” the bartender sympathized with him. “If you really do care about him, you should let him know your true feelings. It may not be too late.”</p>
<p>   “You’re wrong,” Hanzo muttered, realizing the only one he was angry at was himself, “it is.” He left the bartender a generous tip and covered McCree’s drinks for the night before he left the club and took the motorcycle back to the cave.</p>
<p>   “Let’s get outta here, cowboy. I’m ready to ride,” Stacy-Lynn flirted, grabbing McCree by the arm and taking him to her bedroom at the nearby inn. She shoved him onto the bed and they both laughed eagerly as she climbed on top of him and kissed him deeply. Then, she leaned up and stared into his eyes.</p>
<p>   “Where’s your hat?” she demanded.</p>
<p>   “Pardon me?”</p>
<p>   “Well all cowboys wear a hat, right?” she began to slowly grind against his crotch on top of him, but McCree sat up, gently removing her from him.</p>
<p><em>   “All cowboys wear a hat, is that not correct?” </em>Hanzo had asked him before they first rode off on the motorcycle together. He groaned loudly as he realized he couldn’t shake his own feelings so easily.</p>
<p>   “Damn… I’m really sorry, Darlin’, but—”</p>
<p>   “You’re in love with that Hanamura guy, huh?” Stacy-Lynn finished for him.</p>
<p>   “Love? Really?” McCree objected, completely flustered. Stacy-Lynn laughed loudly, falling back on the bed just beside him and he lay down next to her.</p>
<p>   “Yeah, I can see it in your eyes, you know,” she said. “I really like you, Joel, but… I can’t control what’s in both of your hearts. Sojiro likes you too, you know… He just can’t admit it for some reason.”</p>
<p>   “I dunno if it's really love, but I've felt things with him that I've never felt with anyone else... He’s stubborn as a mule though! I just want him to tell me how he feels. It’s not that hard!” McCree growled as he crossed his arms. Stacy-Lynn leaned her head on the cowboy’s chest and smiled half-heartedly.</p>
<p>   “But… it’s also not that easy either. Not everyone can be so bold. It’s especially hard if you’ve had a troubled past where your parents don’t support you or force you into things without asking you how you feel about it. When you grow up in an environment where your ideas, opinions, and emotions aren’t seen as valid, you really begin to believe they aren't.”</p>
<p>   McCree gaped at her in shock at the wisdom that poured out of her mouth and realized she was right. He chuckled slightly and wrapped his arm around Stacy-Lynn.</p>
<p>   “You know… I think you’re right. When I was a kid, I had a mean daddy who beat me and my mother, threatened us with guns, and much more. Then, I escaped that life at a young age and found my mentor… Gabe.” McCree smiled in reminiscence and continued, “He was a good man and an even better father to his infant son. When he met me, he immediately took me in and gave me a place to stay. I had that support where… <em>Sojiro</em> didn’t. That might be why I’m able to express myself better than he can.”</p>
<p>   Stacy-Lynn let out a sympathetic sigh and patted McCree’s arm.</p>
<p>   “Tell ya what, Cowboy, I’ll go ahead and fix up that Hard-light storage of yours. Shouldn’t take longer than fifteen minutes. What happened to it, anyways?”</p>
<p>   “It uh… got shot by bandits. Only one bullet though,” McCree admitted, scratching his head embarrassedly. Stacy-Lynn clicked her tongue.</p>
<p>   “Make that twenty minutes…” she quipped, leading McCree back into the tailoring shop. McCree groaned as he realized that Hanzo had taken off on the motorcycle. He hoped that the frustrating man was back at their secret hideout in the canyon. McCree leaned against the counter and watched Stacy-Lynn work, taking care not to damage anything else. Finally, she was able to replace the parts that had been ripped into by the bullet, and the machine glowed once more.</p>
<p>   “Was anything lost from the storage?” he demanded nervously, eying the device. In truth, he had never used a hard-light storage system and had no idea how it worked. Stacy-Lynn smirked as she pressed a button and made a pair of Hanzo's dark blue briefs appear in her hand. She grinned brightly and swung them around on the tip of her finger teasingly.</p>
<p>   “Nope, don’t think so,” she joked.</p>
<p>   “Ah, come on, p-put those back!” McCree demanded, putting his hands on his hips. She sighed and did as he told her before handing him back the device.</p>
<p>   “You’re no fun at all, Cowboy. Maybe you'll have more fun when you go get that handsome brooding man of yours. Go on,” she said with a wink.</p>
<p>   “Uh, actually, about that… Do you think there’s anyway I could get a ride closer to me? It’s about twenty minutes away, and it looks like Sojiro already left. I think he figured the two of us were… spendin’ the night together.”</p>
<p>   “Sure thing. I have a small, old-timey little car we can take.” They piled into her old Jalopy and it clunked down the road. McCree had her stop the car and let him walk the rest of the way, thanking her for everything as he headed towards his and Hanzo’s secret cave.</p>
<p>   Back in the cave, Hanzo faced the wall, lying on his mission clothing that were bunched up into a pillow. He was too frustrated to sleep. He wanted to tell McCree how he felt, but he wasn’t sure how. Part of him was afraid of being judged or laughed at, while the other part of him was afraid that McCree didn’t feel the same way.</p>
<p><em>   If I say nothing, I risk nothing… </em>he thought to himself <em>but at the same time, I risk losing it all.</em> He wrapped his arms around himself, trying to stave off the cold. McCree wasn’t there to use his lighter to start a fire. Suddenly, a shuffling noise sounded outside the cave and Hanzo quickly drew his bow, aiming it at the intruder.</p>
<p>   “Whoa, Hanzo. It’s just me,” McCree announced as he walked in. “I’m glad you’re here. I was afraid that you’d left for good.”</p>
<p>   “Why would I do that? Plus, I have your belongings. They are inside of the bag,” Hanzo answered evenly. “Did you have a good night?”</p>
<p>   “Yeah… you know, I actually did,” McCree admitted, looking over at the handsome archer. Hanzo’s eyes dulled and he rolled back over to face the wall.</p>
<p>   “Good,” he said unenthusiastically.</p>
<p>   “Yeah, and I actually got Stacy-Lynn to fix your storage tonight.” McCree handed it to Hanzo and Hanzo put it beside him.</p>
<p>   “Excellent. Now then, can you start the fire before we both freeze to death?”</p>
<p>   “Uh, actually, I think my lighter ran out of fuel. If you’re worried about freezin’ to death, maybe we should share body heat.” McCree was lying through his teeth about the lighter, but he didn't care. He just wanted to be with Hanzo that night. He walked over to Hanzo and lay beside him.</p>
<p>   “I don’t—!” Hanzo objected just before McCree’s arms wrapped around him in a gentle embrace. Their bodies pressed against one another and Hanzo’s face contorted in regret.</p>
<p><em>   Am I just a backup plan for him? He’s had his fun with that Stacy woman and now, he’s after me? Why couldn’t he have chosen me first?</em> He wondered as his heart throbbed painfully in his chest. He slowly removed McCree’s hands from around his waist and scooted a little way away from him, using his mission clothing as a blanket and laying his head on the cold stony ground.</p>
<p>   McCree stared after him in confusion before scrunching up his eyebrows in frustration and yelling, “Fine then, you go right ahead and freeze to death!” As soon as the words left McCree’s mouth, he regretted them. A dull pain spread through Hanzo’s chest and his stomach churned from his nerves. “Hanzo, I didn’t mean—”</p>
<p>   “Just stop, McCree. I will talk to you in the morning. Goodnight,” Hanzo bit back in a weak voice as he stared ahead at the rocky wall.</p>
<p><em>   So, this is what heartbreak feels like… and no medicine will cure it. </em>He drifted off into an uneasy sleep and Jesse woke him up gently the next morning.</p>
<p>   “Hey, we caught a lucky break!” he whispered to a drowsy, bleary-eyed Hanzo.</p>
<p>   “What are you—”</p>
<p>   “Shh! Grab your bow and arrows, archer.” McCree dragged the man out of bed, and he reluctantly followed McCree down to the base of the canyon where a small group of Mule Deer had congregated. One buck and three does. The buck was small, but he would make a great breakfast and lunch for the two of them.</p>
<p>   “Can you take it down?” McCree asked him.</p>
<p>   “Of course, I can,” Hanzo bit back, nocking two arrows, drawing his bow back, and taking a steady breath. He closed his eyes, sensing the movement of his prey, and when he opened them, his hand released the string, causing them to fly towards the buck. One arrow ran through his skull while the other went straight through his heart.</p>
<p>   As the other deer fled, the buck dropped to the ground and breathed no longer. McCree stared at the archer in disbelief. Not just anyone could have made that shot.</p>
<p>   “A clean, merciful kill,” Hanzo remarked as he scouted the area before heading down to retrieve their kill. “Are you going to help me McCree, or are you going to stand there gaping at me?” McCree scrambled after the skilled archer and helped him bleed the deer and gut it before they took it inside the cave. As McCree cooked the venison over the fire, Hanzo sat in the far corner of the cave, inspecting his bow and arrows</p>
<p>   “Hey Hanzo,” McCree suddenly spoke up. The archer’s head swiveled around and his eyes centered on McCree’s. McCree faltered for a moment as he noticed that there was something missing in his eyes. Before, even though they had been cold and dark, there was still a spark of life in them. This time, they were empty; sad, even.</p>
<p>   “What is it?” Hanzo asked evenly.</p>
<p>   “Well I could really use some more Chokecherries to cook the meat with, but I think we may have depleted our initial supply, so maybe you and I could forage for some together?” McCree suggested.</p>
<p>   “Is that not a one-person job?” Hanzo replied coldly.</p>
<p>   “Well yeah, but… it’s a nice day out and… this meat is gonna take awhile, so I thought we might go on a little walk together.” Hanzo closed his eyes, sighing deeply before he picked up his bow, slung his quiver around his back, and motioned for McCree to lead the way. McCree, who had been so sure that Hanzo was going to say no, smiled brightly and grabbed his six-shooter before walking outside.</p>
<p>   “How ‘bout you lead the way this time?” McCree said, waving his arm in front of him and bowing. Hanzo scoffed and walked ahead of him, looking around for ideal locations that a berry bush would grow. Eventually, lost in his own thoughts, he just began to wander.</p>
<p>
  <em>   Maybe… that bartender was right. Maybe I should tell McCree how I feel.</em>
</p>
<p>   “You know, Hanzo…” McCree began, looking off to the side before meeting Hanzo’s wary gaze once more, “Today is day seven, and we had a week-long deal. I’ve been thinking about things and I think I’ve made my decision. I want to stay here.”</p>
<p>   Hanzo’s breath caught in his throat and he stopped in his tracks.</p>
<p>   “Well, then I am sure you will be very happy here. You will have that simple life you have always wanted. I wish you luck,” Hanzo declared as he resumed walking at a brisk pace towards the shadowy area he saw before him.</p>
<p>   “What do you mean, you wish me luck?” McCree bellowed, scowling at the archer. Hanzo whipped around angrily, now engulfed in the shadow of the rocky formations that surrounded him. He glared at the cowboy as he stood there angrily, lit up by the sun’s rays; his hair blowing gently in the breeze. They were locked in an old, Western showdown, only their weapons were their words.</p>
<p>   “I am not going to stay here and be a third wheel in all of this!” Hanzo yelled. They readied their verbal weapons.</p>
<p>   “Third wheel?!”</p>
<p>   “Yes! I saw you and that woman together last night!”</p>
<p>   McCree scoffed, “Well after you left me to go sit at the bar, what choice did I have?” Hanzo bared his teeth at the gunslinger, but then bowed his head in regret.</p>
<p>   “You go off with that woman… and then you come back to the cave and try to be with me as well…” Hanzo murmured sadly. McCree stared at the archer sympathetically, realizing that he had the wrong idea. "But now, you are staying to be with her..." Hanzo had been shot clean through the heart by McCree's words.</p>
<p>   “Hanzo, no. I—”</p>
<p>   “うるさい！<em>Shut up! </em>I will not hear any more of this!” Hanzo backed up further into the shadowy ravine. Having lost the emotional Showdown, he wanted nothing more than to retreat into himself. That’s when McCree spotted the rattlesnake that was laying on a rock directly in the path that Hanzo was walking in. If he kept backing up like he was, he would be right beside it.</p>
<p>   “Hanzo, stop!” McCree warned, his face twisting in desperation.</p>
<p>   “No! I am sick and tired of these games, I am sick and tired of feeling the way I do about you, and I am sick and tired of thinking about you being with someone else while I struggle with how to tell you that I am—” he cut off as he felt a sharp, stinging pain in his right leg. A rattle sounded from beside him and as he turned his head to see his attacker, he felt another sharp bite.</p>
<p>   McCree let out a furious roar and shot the snake dead in the center of his head before rushing over to Hanzo and catching him as he slumped to the ground in shock. He groaned loudly at the pain in his leg and McCree quickly lifted him up onto his back and carried him back up to the cave.</p>
<p>   “Shit!” McCree swore as he propped Hanzo’s back up with the duffel bag and removed his bow and quiver from around him. He pulled off Hanzo’s boots and tabi and made him as comfortable as possible. He knew that without treatment from a hospital, Hanzo would die, but the nearest hospital was over an hour away. Aside from that, he couldn’t risk Talon tracking them down.</p>
<p>   “McCree… My leg burns and... I can't feel my face...” Hanzo rasped as pain contorted his face.</p>
<p>   “No, Hanzo don’t try to speak right now. Rattlesnake bites are serious. Just rest now, y'hear?” McCree used his knife to slice into Hanzo's hakama and saw where the two bite wounds were. His leg was swelling up and the area around the bite was darkening.</p>
<p>   <em>Fuck... What can I do? </em>McCree paced around the cave frantically before looking over at Hanzo’s hard-light storage. <em>I don’t want to go back, but for him… I’d go back a thousand times over, face my past, and slay any demons I find in it, no matter how difficult it might be.</em></p>
<p>   He raced over to Hanzo’s hard-light storage and struggled to figure out how to work it before summoning his phone from it. He took Hanzo’s pointer finger and used it to open the phone before calling Genji.</p>
<p>   “Hanzo, I was worried. What—” Genji began, but he was cut off by a frantic McCree.</p>
<p>   “Genji! You need to get Angela over here as fast as you can! Hanzo’s been bitten by a rattlesnake. I’ll come back to Overwatch; just help him, please!” McCree pleaded.</p>
<p>   “Even if you weren't coming back, I'd never use Hanzo as leverage over you, McCree. Plus, he's my brother. You both are, really. Of course we'll help. We are on our way now. Be there in thirty minutes or less depending on how fast Tracer can fly us there,” Genji said as he hung up. McCree returned to Hanzo’s side and saw his face begin to grow pale. Then, the archer shot up and vomited off to the side before he fell back against the duffel bag.</p>
<p>   “McCree…” he rasped weakly, “is this the part where you chide me for going in the dark shadowy area outside our kingdom and tell me to wear… chaps next time?” McCree laughed despite himself and stroked Hanzo’s hair gently.</p>
<p>   “Nah… Mufasa was a pretty chill guy. Don’t you remember the way he forgave Simba almost instantly? Then, they started talking about the kings of the past being in the stars or… somethin’ like that. It’s been awhile since I’ve seen Lion King.”</p>
<p>   “I… find it disconcerting that a bunch of old men would be watching someone from above without… their permission…” Hanzo said with a wheezing laugh. “But… McCree… do you think that I could watch you while I’m up there?”</p>
<p>   “Don’t you dare start talkin’ like that. You’re gonna be just fine!” McCree snarled.</p>
<p>   “McCree, please… give me permission. I'd like to... be with you...” Hanzo’s eyes were rolling around dizzily.</p>
<p>   “I… give you permission. You’re the only one I’d ever want to watch out for me. Also, you should know that nothing happened between me and Stacy-Lynn. It was going to, but… I couldn’t stop thinking about you. I realized that I didn’t want her. I wanted you. She told me you felt the same but didn’t know how to express yourself,” McCree explained, biting his lip as he felt Hanzo’s skin with the back of his hand. It was cool and clammy, and he was sweating.</p>
<p><em>   He’s going into shock… </em>McCree loosened Hanzo's kyudo-gi before he searched the hard-light storage device and summoned a blanket out of it to cover Hanzo.</p>
<p>   “Jesse…” Hanzo murmured a final phrase to the gunslinger in Japanese but McCree had no idea what it was. He held onto it, hopeful that Genji could translate it for him later.</p>
<p>   “Hanzo, you called me Jesse…" McCree smiled warmly at the raven-haired samurai as he ran his hand along his face, and Hanzo smiled back before his eyes closed and his head turned to the side limply. The smile fled from McCree's face and panic set in. "Hanzo no, you have to stay awake. Hanzo!” McCree cried as the archer began to fade out of consciousness.</p>
<p><em>   Did he hear me? Did I let you know, McCree? </em>Hanzo wondered as he faded fast.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. FACING REALITY</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>As always, I don't believe in summaries, they basically big ole spoilers ;)</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hey guys, it's been awhile! ^_^ <br/>Hopefully ya'll have been well. I'm still writing, though I have slowed a bit, but I hope you all like the new additions I'm posting! Stay safe out there! :)</p>
<p>I don't own Overwatch or its characters. They're owned by Blizzard! I do own this story though and I put my heart, mind, and soul into it, so I hope you all enjoy it! :D</p>
<p>SIDENOTE: I can't/DON'T profess to be a medical professional, and I'm TOTALLY not, but my writing stems from a good amount of research and questions asked to actual professionals. I really try to keep my writing fairly realistic lol If I get something wrong though... ehhhhhhh I tried xD</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>    The world was moving faster than Jesse McCree could handle. He had been on countless missions and seen many of his friends and Overwatch companions fall in battle before, but this was different. He felt as though something really important to him was slipping out of his grasp. And it was. </p>
<p>    It happened in a blur. McCree gathered their things, Genji, Angela, Winston, and Lena came in the jet to retrieve them, and they rushed Hanzo into the medical bay for treatment.</p>
<p>    “Can’t you just… whip out your magic staff and fix ‘im up?!” McCree shouted frantically, running his hand through his hair as he watched her add an IV bag and connect it to the line in his arm. </p>
<p>    Dr. Angela Ziegler sighed and clicked her tongue, trying to be patient and remember that McCree was in shock. She ran a hand through her blonde hair and adjusted her glasses on her face; her blue eyes dulled with worry as she gazed down at Hanzo and then back at McCree.</p>
<p>    “It is not Magic, but Science, and unfortunately, I can’t. He’s had a bad reaction to the snake venom. I’m giving him antivenom along with Amiodarone to normalize his heartrate,” she replied.</p>
<p>    “W-Well how bad is it? He still looks pretty pale and weak. Is he going to be alright, Doc?” Jesse demanded, waving his arms wildly.</p>
<p>    “The venom has caused neurological damage. He’s in a coma right now and I can’t be sure when he will come out of it without more tests.” </p>
<p>    “But he will come out of it, right?”</p>
<p>    “I’m sorry, Jesse. I can’t tell you that everything is going to be alright because we are not out of the woods yet, but I can promise you that I will do everything I can for him.” She led him over to sit at Hanzo’s side and squeezed his shoulder comfortingly before using a small device to scan Hanzo’s body. She uploaded the scans to her computer and began to type furiously as if she was looking for something.</p>
<p>    As McCree stared at Hanzo’s pale face, the ventilator that was attached to him, and his swollen leg that was black in a few areas, there was no form of reassurance or promise that would assuage him. He needed to see Hanzo open his eyes. He needed to hear his voice again, if only to call him a “presumptuous Cowboy.” He needed to set things straight with him and tell Hanzo how he really felt. He sighed heavily and looked up as a hard hand landed on his left shoulder.</p>
<p>    He looked down at the metal hand that rested on him and then followed it upwards to see Genji with his helmet off, staring over at his brother.</p>
<p>    “So, what happened?” Genji asked evenly shifting his light brown-grey-eyed gaze down to McCree. Black hair jutted out from his head wildly; a result of the helmet he wore for missions, though he was in casual clothing now. Even though he kept up a strong front, McCree could tell how worried he was.</p>
<p>    “A stupid, fucking, mistake…” McCree spat angrily, wrenching his hands together anxiously. “We were arguing about something. Hanzo saw it one way while I saw it another and he misunderstood me. He was trying to get away from our conversation when I saw the snake on the rock he was backing up towards.”</p>
<p>    A grim chuckle escaped him and he shook his head with regret in his eyes and voice as he admitted, “I tried to tell him to stop, but he assumed I was trying to just keep him from leaving. If I had’ve just sucked up my damn pride and told him how I—” He stopped talking as everything: the beeping of the heart monitor, the sight and state of Hanzo, and recalling the event with Genji, took its toll, and he buried his head in his hands.</p>
<p>    Genji let out a low hum.</p>
<p>    “No, you did what you could. You should not blame yourself, McCree. You and my brother are very alike in many ways, but my brother has you beat when it comes to pride. Trust me on that. I have lived with it,” he mused in a voice that was lighthearted and understanding.</p>
<p>    Then, in a low voice, he added, “I know that it must be hard to see him like this, but Hanzo would not want you to pity him, or worry about him.” As McCree looked up and saw Genji’s tense lips and the nervous expression on his face, he knew that Genji was really trying to reassure himself with what he said; his previous façade now completely gone.</p>
<p>     McCree spent the night by Hanzo’s side, gradually falling into a deep, unsteady sleep. He was awakened by someone grabbing his arm. Hanzo was sitting up now. In one steady motion, he pulled the endotracheal tube out of his throat and coughed a few times. A trickle of blood ran down the side of his mouth.</p>
<p>    McCree looked around frantically for Angela or anyone else who could help Hanzo. The sickly archer was staring at the tired gunslinger with disappointment and anger in his sunken eyes. McCree felt Hanzo’s grip on his arm tighten.</p>
<p>    “Why did you let me get hurt? This could have been avoided, could it not?” he demanded in a hoarse voice. McCree gaped at him in shock.</p>
<p>    “I tried to warn you, really Hanzo. This isn’t what I wanted to happen. I promise though, I’m going to be here for you from now on. Now please, settle down. I’m gonna go get Dr. Ziegler,” he countered, attempting to pull away from Hanzo. Hanzo’s grip tightened even more, but his coughing increased.</p>
<p>    “It is far too late for that,” he barely managed to get out as he coughed, hacked, and wheezed, “you already killed me.” He struggled to breathe, clutching at his throat with his other hand while McCree looked on, frozen with fear.</p>
<p>    “S-somebody help him! Angela! Genji!” he cried out desperately as Hanzo’s eyes fluttered into the back of his head and he stopped making any sort of sound. It was apparent that no one was coming to aid them. Hanzo’s grip on McCree’s arm loosened completely and fell limply over the edge of the hospital bed.</p>
<p>    “N-no… Hanzo…” McCree murmured. His hands shook as he brought them to the top of his head, bunching them into his hair as he leaned his face into his arms. </p>
<p>    Then, in one swift motion full of angry, mournful emotion, his hands, now balled into fists, slammed downwards against his thighs. He reared his head back and let out a bestial roar at the same time; his frustration and longing manifesting themselves in a fiery rage.</p>
<p>    “McCree...” a soft voice reached him, and the second time, it fully awakened him. He jolted awake with a loud yell, panting heavily. He looked over to see Hanzo’s hand in his, though he was still in a coma. The cowboy groaned, shook his head, and swallowed hard before taking deep breaths to calm himself. Behind him, Angela put her hand on his shoulder worriedly before going back to her research.</p>
<p>    McCree sighed heavily and stared at Hanzo’s face before bowing his head in regret.</p>
<p>    <em>Please wake up soon, Hanzo...</em></p>
<p>    “Soon” didn’t come that night; nor did it come for the next two weeks. In all the time that McCree was at Watchpoint Gibraltar, he barely spoke with any of the others. He greeted several of the others and talked with them very briefly as he got his meals, but he spent a majority of his time by Hanzo’s side. Today was no different.</p>
<p>    As Dr. Angela Ziegler entered the medical bay, she heard McCree softly saying, “You know...  I once got kicked in the head by a horse. I think I was more stubborn than him though since I was unconscious for three days straight but got right off my ass and broke him in soon as I woke.”</p>
<p>    Angela walked a little closer to the two of them and watched with a sad expression on her face as McCree’s voice began to sound desperate.</p>
<p>    “C’mon Shimada, you need to be more stubborn than the snake that bit ya. It’s been two weeks. Everyone else seems to have given up on ya, but I won’t.” McCree reached his hand over and grasped Hanzo’s, gently squeezing it. </p>
<p>    Angela sighed deeply, knowing that if McCree kept fantasizing about unrealistic things, his mental health would suffer. Hope was good, but she knew that clinging to fantasies could make the real world seem more far away than the illusion. She stood beside McCree now and began to speak softly to him.</p>
<p>    “McCree... I came to tell you that... it doesn’t look as though Hanzo is going to recover. If he doesn’t wake up by tonight, he probably will never wake up. I’m very sorry. I know you two spent a week together and even fought Talon side by side—”</p>
<p>    “Save your doctor speech, Angela. He’ll wake up, I know it. He’s strong,” McCree bit back. “He won’t be done in by a damn snake.”</p>
<p>    “He had a much worse reaction to it than most people. It is rare, but it happens. Listen, McCree, it is seriously unhealthy for you to dwell on these fantasies. I know how much you want him to wake up, but it's time to face reality. It has been well over a week and the Glasgow Coma Scale score suggests—” She began.</p>
<p>    McCree rose from his spot, still holding Hanzo’s hand in one of his, and towered over the doctor threateningly.</p>
<p>    “I couldn’t give two shits what you or <em>Glass Cow</em> says about him! He’s gonna make it!” he yelled in desperation. Suddenly, Angela’s eyes widened in shock.</p>
<p>    “McCree...!”</p>
<p>    “No, Angela! I’m done listening to your doctor speak! Now then, if there's nothin’ else then you can take your scientific research and sho—”</p>
<p>    McCree froze as he became aware that the hand he was holding was now squeezing his back. He gasped and turned to see Hanzo’s eyes rolling behind his eyelids as if he was merely sleeping.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. REGRESSION</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hope ya'll are doin well! As always, I hope I can be of some sort of relief/entertainment during these trying times. Stay safe everyone!</p>
<p>Disclaimer: Overwatch is owned by Blizzard. I only own the story that I've written here. ;)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>    Angela grabbed her medical kit and pulled out a small flashlight, opening Hanzo’s eyes one by one and checking his pupils. Then, she checked his lungs with her scanning tool.</p>
<p>    “He’s breathing on his own. Let me remove the trach tube.” She slowly pulled it out and watched his heart monitor and oxygen readings for any change. “Hanzo Shimada,” she called out loudly, “my name is Dr. Angela Ziegler. I’ve been treating you. Can you hear me?” </p>
<p>    Hanzo’s eyes shot open and he sat up quickly, hoarsely yelling, “そのくそヘビはどこか？! <em>Where is that damn snake?!”</em> </p>
<p>    McCree laughed incredulously before admitting, “No need to worry about that now, Shimada, I put it to rest.” Then, a worried look spread across his face as he realised that that happened before Hanzo went into his coma. “You saw me. Don’t you remember that?”</p>
<p>    Hanzo clutched his head, struggling to remember the moments leading up to him being bitten as well as how he got to Overwatch.</p>
<p>    “I only remember so much... I... I remember yelling and I remember you yelling out a warning before I was bitten, but I do not remember why we were yelling. I don’t remember much before that either. I remember us fighting Talon and going to the cave, but then—” he cut off as he coughed and hacked, rubbing his throat.</p>
<p>    “No need to remember everything right now. It may very well come back to you in due time. Rest now. You have been in a coma for two weeks. You must not push yourself,” Angela soothed him, offering him an analgesic spray for his throat to numb the chaffing caused by the trach tube. He nodded once curtly, and she sprayed the analgesic into his mouth.</p>
<p>    “I’m going to run a few scans and do a few more tests to make sure you do not have any brain or heart damage.”</p>
<p>    “I feel fine. Just extremely tired and... hungry. I could go for some beef Udon right now,” Hanzo joked, coughing once lightly.</p>
<p>    “Well, with the analgesic spray I just gave you, you’d have to wait at least 20 minutes, but after that, you should be good to eat. But you know, that's just enough time for me to run some tests,” Angela said with a grin.</p>
<p>    “Is he stable, Doc? Like... if I left for half an hour, would he be here when I got back?” McCree asked worriedly.</p>
<p>    “I will make sure of it,” she vowed, smiling knowingly at the still-frantic cowboy. He nodded his thanks and smiled warmly at the two of them before taking off.</p>
<p>    “Be back later, Shimada!”</p>
<p>    Hanzo sighed as he made himself comfortable in the hospital bed he was in, and the kind doctor apologised for making him uncomfortable once more as she performed several reflex tests, and other neurological and physiological exams.</p>
<p>    “You look to be well. I’m glad! It’s miraculous, really considering the fact that the venom travelled to your heart and attacked your nerves so badly. It usually leaves some sort of damage,” she admitted with a relieved smile as she put her tools away.</p>
<p>    “Well, I had an excellent doctor,” Hanzo praised her, “besides, snake venom is nothing compared to a dragon’s flame. A dragon’s flame resides in its heart and travels through the body before it is expelled through the mouth. That venom hardly stood a chance, attacking my heart like that!” Angela chuckled and shook her head.</p>
<p>    “So, may I ask what you do remember then?” she inquired, pulling up a rolling chair and sliding it next to Hanzo’s bedside. Hanzo growled in frustration and furrowed his brows. His eyes went side to side as he stared at his bedsheets.</p>
<p>    “I... I remember Genji handing me the picture of McCree and me leaving for the mission. I got to McCree’s house and there was a,” a slight blush crept over his cheeks, but he quickly cleared his throat, “misunderstanding... I told him I was there to bring him back to Overwatch, but he wasn’t ready to come back, so we made a deal.”</p>
<p>    Hanzo chuckled sadly.</p>
<p>    “We were both similar in the sense that neither of us were really ready to go back. Please do not tell my brother this, but... I feel the weight of the guilt I bear every time I look at him. McCree confessed to me that he also harbours an immense amount of guilt. In his case, it is for leaving everyone just before Overwatch fell.”</p>
<p>    Angela stared at him for a moment sympathetically before saying, “Genji has made his peace with what happened between the two of you. At the start, he was angry and full of rage, but he has since forgiven you and wants nothing more or less than to have his brother back with him. As for McCree... he did nothing wrong. He was actually right to leave when he did. Blackwatch was not what it once was, and... I’m honestly afraid that if he had stayed, Reyes would have...”</p>
<p>    Hanzo stared at her pensively, watching as she shook her head and finished, “no... Jesse would never have joined Talon; he would never betray us.”</p>
<p>    Hanzo cleared his throat and continued, trying to distract the doctor from her troubled thoughts.</p>
<p>    “Well, anyways... the deal we had was to stay together for a week. In that time, we would get to know each other and at the end of the week, decide if we wanted to return. Then, Talon attacked us, but we easily fought them off. We got on my motorcycle and headed for a cave that McCree told me was a secret hideout for him.”</p>
<p>    He paused as his memories started to get foggy.</p>
<p>    “Then, we sat down, and he persuaded me to play cards with him... War... I remember... a rabbit interrupting the game and I shot it so we could have it for dinner. I don’t remember anything else until the moment I was bitten. I remember we were yelling about something just before I was bitten. I... I think we were angry. He tried to warn me, but I ignored him and was bitten twice. After that, I remember him carrying me to the cave but that’s everything. Talon attacking, us playing cards, the rabbit... that all happened on our first day together. And the snake happened on our last day... So, that means... I lost a week’s worth of memories.”</p>
<p>    He bowed his head regretfully and clutched the sheets tightly in his hands, balling them into fists.</p>
<p>    “That cowboy looks at me like I’m someone important to him. We must have become close friends during our time together. I... I just don’t remember.”</p>
<p>    Angela put her hand over one of Hanzo’s clenched fists and smiled warmly.</p>
<p>    In a reassuring voice, she vowed, “I promise, I will do everything in my power to help you recover those memories. It sounds as though you are experiencing post-traumatic amnesia. This is fairly common in people who have been in comas. Sometimes they never regain those memories, and that is alright. Frustrating, I know, but still alright because you will have every opportunity to make new memories.”</p>
<p>    “Thank you, Doctor Ziegler. I am grateful to have such a kind doctor to watch over me. It is much more than I deserve,” he said graciously.</p>
<p>    “Please, call me Angela, and... I know it is not my place to say so, but I believe that you deserve to be happy. You and McCree both. Maybe you two can find the strength to be here together, and perhaps one day, you both will call this 'home.'”</p>
<p>    “Hanzo!” Genji cried, rushing into the room, a worried expression on his scarred, mask-less face. He was wearing casual clothing: a grey hoodie with black pants, similar to the clothing he wore on his Overwatch mission in Paris. Sweat was pooled across his forehead from heavy exertion. Angela had sent him a message while he was working out and as soon as he had seen it, he sprinted to the medical bay as fast as he could.</p>
<p>    He had been worried and frustrated all that time as he walked in and saw Hanzo lying in that bed unresponsive, but now, as he stared at his older brother's face and saw him alive again, a wave of calm washed over him. He hurried to Hanzo’s side but hesitated there for a moment as he wondered how his brother would receive him.</p>
<p>    “I am... glad you are better,” Genji murmured stiffly, his lips trembling ever so slightly. Angela smacked him across the backside of his head. “痛いな！<em>Ouch, hey!</em> "</p>
<p>    “Honestly, Genji!” she exclaimed with an amused expression on her face. Genji rubbed his head with an expression of mock hurt on his face but nodded at her all the same.</p>
<p>    "You’re right, Angela,” he admitted, turning to face Hanzo as he lay in bed with a look of confusion on his face. As Genji looked him up and down, his pride couldn’t restrain his relief any longer. “よかった。<em>Thank goodness...</em>” he murmured as he threw his arms around his brother in a hug. </p>
<p>    Hanzo’s eyes widened with shock, as he struggled to figure out how to react. The last time he had spoken with his brother, they had both been standoffish and curt with each other, but now, Genji was embracing him.</p>
<p>    Then, Hanzo sighed, smiled lightly, and wrapped his arms around Genji in return as he said in a choked voice, “久しぶりだな、弟。<em>It has been awhile, little brother.</em>” Genji drew back and the two of them had tears in their eyes. Genji pulled up a chair and Angela walked back over to her computer, smiling at the two brothers who were speaking softly to each other, just like old times.</p>
<p>    Suddenly, McCree burst into the room, holding a tray with a bowl of soup.</p>
<p>    “Hanzo! I found a great recipe online for this Kee-tsu-nay Ooh-dawn stuff, and I just finished cookin' it! It seemed a little... bland, so I added in some bacon and whiskey for flavour!” the boisterous cowboy declared proudly as he handed Hanzo the tray. Hanzo stared at the soup. Not only was it the wrong colour, but it also smelled strong.</p>
<p>    Hanzo forced a smile on his lips and took a taste of it. It was extremely salty and overly tangy like someone added too much soy sauce but then decided to throw in mango or another tangy fruit to add some sweetness.</p>
<p>    “ひどい。。。<em>Terrible...</em>” he groaned, trying not to make a face. McCree looked at him in confusion.</p>
<p>    “Hee-do-ee?” he asked.</p>
<p>    “Ah! It means ‘great’!” Hanzo lied quickly, taking another bite of the soup and forcing a smile.</p>
<p>     McCree smiled brightly.</p>
<p>    “Well, you’re pretty hee-do-ee, yourself!” he said with a wink. Beside Hanzo, Genji was trying his best not to laugh and Hanzo quickly growled at him to shut up under his breath.</p>
<p>    “Uh, McCree would you mind getting me a glass of water from the kitchen?” Hanzo asked.</p>
<p>    “Comin’ right up!” the eager cowboy exclaimed, rushing off.</p>
<p>     Hanzo maintained his smile until the very moment the oblivious man had left the room. Then, he looked over at his brother and Angela in desperation.</p>
<p>    “You have to help me! I believe this soup will kill me faster than a snakebite!”</p>
<p>    “Oh, don’t be so dramatic, brother, it can’t be that—” as Genji took a taste, he began to cough and hack, bending over and nearly vomiting at the revolting mixture of tastes. “How did you keep such a straight face?!”</p>
<p>    Angela laughed and said, “I think I will take your word for it.” She took the soup and poured the broth in the sink before dumping the rest into the trashcan. Then, she handed the tray back to Hanzo.</p>
<p>    “So, I believe that you shouldn’t be around here unsupervised since this is such a big base and you are still in recovery. There could be complications that I am unaware of. That being said, I will give you two options: either you rest here for another three or four days under my watch, or you may stay with McCree. I am sure he would allow you to sleep in his former room, and we could get you another bed in there.”</p>
<p>    “Of course, I would!” McCree chimed in, bringing the glass of water over to Hanzo. Then, upon seeing the bowl empty, he smiled brightly. “I see you liked my cookin’!”</p>
<p>    Hanzo winced slightly and Genji growled, “その怪物は私をほとんど殺しました！<em>That monstrosity almost killed me!"</em></p>
<p>    “He liked it too,” Hanzo lied for Genji, forcing a smile, “however, it does need some work. Perhaps you should leave the Japanese dishes to me and cook something for me... from your own culture.”</p>
<p>    “Well, I’m from Texas and we make a mean barbecue. Maybe I’ll treat ya to some rib-eye one day,” McCree vowed. “Anyways though, how’s about you stay with me? I may be able to help you recover your memory since they were made while you were with me before anyways.”</p>
<p>    Hanzo stared around at the medical bay. It was white, overly orderly, and void of emotion, a stark contrast to the rowdy cowboy and his warm demeanour. </p>
<p>    “Alright then if you insist. I would be glad to stay with you,” Hanzo said. “Thank you, McCree.”</p>
<p>    Angela took off his IV and they helped him out of bed. Because he had been bedridden for so long, he had trouble walking and adjusting to things. McCree leaned Hanzo against him and walked him up to his bedroom.</p>
<p>    “I will be up with another cot shortly, 兄貴. <em>Big brother</em>,” Genji promised after them as he waved the two of them off.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. RECALL</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Blizzard owns Overwatch, but I own this story, and I hope you all enjoy it! ^_^ </p><p>WARNING: SEXUAL CONTENT IS IN THIS CHAPTER<br/>But it's already marked as 'Explicit' so you should already know this is coming but just in case, I'm warnin' ya now. xD</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>As they entered the room, Hanzo gazed around at the old Western Movie posters on the wall, the wanted poster of McCree, and the simple décor. It was a little messy and it smelled just like him. </p><p><em>Cigars and Whiskey. A smoky sort of scent.</em> Hanzo thought to himself as McCree helped him over to the bed. Hanzo saw McCree gently lowering him onto the bed and panic set in.</p><p>“No!” Hanzo yelled suddenly, his eyes wide. McCree stopped in shock and Hanzo quickly apologised. “I... I do not wish to return to sleep. I have been asleep for far too long.”</p><p>In truth, Hanzo was afraid that if he fell asleep, he would never wake up again.</p><p>“Alright then... How ‘bout a bath? Maybe it will help you relax. First, lets see if we can’t help you walk a bit.” McCree held Hanzo up and let him stand on his own, which he was able to do after a few tries. Then, he took several shaky steps forward and nearly fell, but McCree was there to catch him and stand him back up.</p><p>After several more minutes, Hanzo was able to shakily walk.</p><p>“Wow, you are progressing so quickly... The way Angela was talking, she was sayin’ you’d need physical therapy for weeks,” McCree declared in awe.</p><p>“Then, I am just lucky, I suppose,” Hanzo said with a shrug.</p><p>“Or foolish,” Genji declared as he walked in the room with Hanzo’s hard-light storage in his hands. “You really shouldn’t be pushing yourself so hard.”</p><p>He used the storage device to summon another cot about six feet away from McCree’s and then handed the device to Hanzo.</p><p>"Please take care of yourself, brother. Won't you relax a bit?"</p><p>"You know how hard that is for me..." Hanzo retorted, crossing his arms.</p><p>McCree grinned and slung his arm over Hanzo's shoulder, causing the man to wobble slightly.</p><p>"Don't you worry none, Genji. I'll make sure he rests," McCree declared, steadying Hanzo with a meaty hand. Genji nodded, gave them both a lazy salute, and left the room.</p><p>"Alright," McCree started once Genji had shut the door behind him, "since you can sorta walk and move your body pretty decently now, how's about I set ya up with a bath?"</p><p>"Set me up with one? Will you not be joining me?"</p><p>McCree's eyes widened and his mouth dropped open. Hanzo noticed his bashfulness and rolled his eyes.</p><p>"You Americans and your shrewdness! In Japan, people bathe together often! Genji and I bathed together well through our teenage years, and have gone to public baths even after that point! It is quite normal!" Hanzo growled, pushing past McCree and stumbling into the bathroom.</p><p>As he searched around for towels and bath gel, McCree walked in after him.</p><p>"Alright then, I'll uh... take one right with you. I reckon it might do us both some good anyways." The embarrassed cowboy walked over to the tub, turned on the water, and made sure to make it just the right temperature for the two of them.</p><p>"You and I... we were more than just aquaintences. We must have grown close over the week we were together," Hanzo surmised as he leaned against the counter and pulled his hair tie out, letting his jet-black hair fall around his shoulders.</p><p>"Yes we did. D'you remember?" McCree demanded excitedly, turning around to see Hanzo beginning to take off the blue striped generic PJ pants that Angela had clothed him in during his coma.</p><p>"No, but I guessed as much. A mere aquaintance would not go out of his way to make someone he barely knew a meal. Nor would he offer that same person a place to sleep." McCree stared at Hanzo eagerly, his heart beating in his chest as he hoped that Hanzo would put the pieces together and accept his affections.</p><p>However, as the words, "Thank you for being such a good friend to me," poured out of the Japanese archer's mouth, McCree's hopes were dashed. McCree gaped for a moment in shock, but quickly forced a smile and turned back towards the bath.</p><p>Hanzo tilted his head in confusion at the cowboy's reaction.</p><p><em>Was I wrong? We were indeed friends, were we not?</em> he thought nervously.</p><p>Suddenly, McCree let out a long, drawn-out sigh before declaring, "Y'know Hanzo, you said something to me that night you were bitten by that damned snake. It was just before you passed out. It was somethin' in Japanese."</p><p>"What... what did I say?" </p><p>The cowboy stared off into space for a moment. Though he remembered the exact pronunciation of it, he wasn't sure if Hanzo was ready to hear those words.</p><p>"I'm not sure what it was you said. Maybe you'll be able to tell me when you remember it."</p><p>Hanzo sighed as he pulled off his last article of clothing and headed for the tub.</p><p>"You are not getting undressed. Why?" he demanded as he approached McCree. The seasoned cowboy turned and stood quickly just before his eyes began to wander across Hanzo's body. He quickly got out of Hanzo's way and began to take off his own clothing. </p><p>Then, he sighed deeply before walking over to the tub and sliding in across from Hanzo. They both sat up across from each other and silently washed themselves off. Hanzo finished washing and leaned against the tub, his elbow propped up with his head resting against his hand as he stared out of it deep in thought.</p><p>"If you would not mind, could you help me fill in some blanks with my memories?" he asked McCree solemnly.</p><p>"Sure. I won't tell you exactly what happened because you need to be able to remember it yourself, but I can help ya with some stuff."</p><p>"Very well." Hanzo shuffled slightly before continuing. "I recall there being a... misunderstanding back at your house. You thought I was with that prostitution service... uhh..."</p><p>"Lucky Stars, yeah."</p><p>"And after that, we drank together and were accosted by Talon. From there, we headed to the cave, where we hid out, but in the cave we played a card game called... War and I remember a rabbit cutting the game short somehow and I—"</p><p>"<em>Strip</em> War," McCree corrected him, sitting up but remaining on his side of the tub. Hanzo's mouth dropped open in surprise, but he quickly recovered.</p><p>"And during that game of... Strip War... a rabbit ran into the cave, but what happened after that?"</p><p>"Well, that's it pretty much. The rabbit hopped into the cave while we were uh... and you shot it." Hanzo squinted at him.</p><p>"While we were what?" he demanded.</p><p>"It don't matter none. If you don't remember it then it's not really important right now."</p><p>"It is important though! I need to remember! What happened between us?" Hanzo leaned forward, balling his fists in frustration as he glared at the stubborn cowboy.</p><p>"I'm tellin' you to leave it."</p><p>"I cannot just simply sit back and let my memories decide whether or not to come back to me, I need to take action! Now tell me, McCree!" McCree leaned forward, glaring at Hanzo wildly, just inches apart from him. </p><p>He bared his teeth now, looking like a cornered feral animal as he snarled, "What does it matter?! You hardly gave me time of day anyways! 'Once an Outlaw, always an Outlaw!' That's what you said to me!" </p><p>The words "Once an Outlaw always an Outlaw," echoed and burned inside of his mind. He suddenly remembered saying it to McCree on a few occasions. Once was out of anger, but the other was an emotion Hanzo hadn't expected. He had teased him with those words in the cave.</p><p>"I... I remember," he stammered, meeting McCree's gaze of frustration and watching it melt away into a look of shock. "I remember tea—" He stopped as he denied his feelings for McCree and let out a deep sigh.</p><p>"Tell me something, McCree..." Hanzo stared deeply into McCree's eyes.</p><p>"Hmm?"</p><p>"What would have happened if that rabbit had not interrupted us?" McCree, unable to restrain himself any longer, stared at Hanzo's face, searching it to figure out what his real intent was.</p><p>The archer was as stoic as ever. A chuckle escaped Jesse's lips and a sly grin spread across his face.</p><p>"How 'bout I show ya?"</p><p>"W-wha—?" Hanzo protested, but Jesse had already closed the gap between them, his lips clashing against Hanzo's, which yearned for more and more with each passing moment.<br/>
Suddenly though, McCree pulled away, panted heavily, and shook his head.</p><p>"I-I'm sorry. I shouldn't have."</p><p>"It is fine, really. I—"</p><p>"No, it isn't," McCree finalized, getting out of the tub and grabbing his towel. "You're sick, and you're still recovering. You lost a week's worth of memories, and you don't need me or anyone else influencing them."</p><p>As McCree left the room, Hanzo stared after him regretfully. The archer wanted him. Badly. However, it was almost as though there were two sides of him clashing with each other, like another side of him was emerging from inside his head and trying to assert dominance.</p><p><em>I thought maybe we were Friends With Benefits, but now... I'm not so sure. It feels as though we might have been more...</em> he noted as he sighed deeply and dried off.</p><p>He threw his hair back into a long ponytail before getting dressed in some night clothes: a black shirt and some baggy Navy sweatpants. He followed after the cowboy, unstopping the tub, turning the bathroom lights out, and then stopping in the doorway and scanning the room.</p><p>He looked over at his own bed and then his eyes focused on McCree's back as he lay on his cot. With a shake of his head, he turned away from the cowboy and lay down on his own bed. As he stared up at the ceiling, something within him began boiling. </p><p>He was frustrated at the entire situation, and at that moment, he could only think of one remedy. It would cure nothing long-term, but for one moment, it would cure all.</p><p>"What the—!" McCree yowled as his body was yanked in the other direction and rolled over by Hanzo, who straddled him and pressed his lips roughly against the Cowboy's. He kissed the archer back for a moment, savouring the man's smooth lips, but quickly pushed him away. </p><p>"Hanzo... I told you... I—" </p><p>"You do not speak for me!" Hanzo bellowed. McCree's eyes went wide at Hanzo's sudden change in demeanour. No longer was he stern, yet reserved. Instead, there was something about him that was vaguely threatening. </p><p>He was reminded of the moment he had with Hanzo in the cave where Hanzo had kicked him away and threatened him.</p><p>"I am perfectly capable of making my own decisions, and at the present moment, you are what I want. That may change later, or it may not, but right here and right now, I want you," Hanzo demanded.</p><p>McCree's eyes narrowed as he searched Hanzo's and his wide open mouth turned into bared teeth, but the stern archer revealed nothing as he swooped down and kissed McCree breathless.</p><p>His hands wandered across McCree's chest, grabbing frantically at his shirt and nearly tearing it off his body before he began to kiss the honey-brown-eyed man slowly and deeply.</p><p>His lips travelled to McCree's neck before they made their way down his chest in the most antagonizingly slow manner.</p><p>"H-Hanzo—"</p><p>"Do not speak. I will draw the sound I am looking for from your lips," Hanzo demanded, moving even more slowly across McCree's chest with his lips and arriving at McCree's left nipple.</p><p>He bit and sucked McCree's nipple roughly, while his left hand toyed with McCree's right nipple, teasing it and causing McCree to let out a groan of pleasure.</p><p>Hanzo chuckled darkly and leaned in close to McCree's ear.</p><p>"There. That is the sound I was looking for, and you will make many more for me tonight on my command," he teased McCree, giving his ear a rough bite.</p><p>A shiver of pleaure rolled through McCree's body, and the cowboy bucked his hips, taking in a deep breath as he yearned for more.</p><p>During the week they spent together, McCree had hoped Hanzo would recognize his feelings for him and admit that he felt the same way. Now, his fantasy was coming true, or at least what he had hoped would happen after the confession.</p><p>McCree felt guilty that his fantasy was playing out while Hanzo was still trying to find himself, but that guilt was short-lived as Hanzo noticed and felt a bulge in McCree's Red flannel PJ pants, and grinned devilishly.</p><p>He began to grind his hips against McCree's erection while slowly untying his pants. Then, he peeled them down all the more slowly, teasing McCree before leaning into him, biting his nipple one more time, and then trailing kisses all the way down to his crotch.</p><p>McCree let out a breathy exhale of anticipation and a shudder rolled through him.</p><p>"Do you want me, McCree?" Hanzo demanded, kissing the area just above his dick.</p><p>"Y-yes," McCree stammered through his pleasure. Hanzo grinned wildly and went even lower, taking McCree's member into his mouth slowly and sucking on it.</p><p>He took it in deeper and deeper, but refused to go any faster, and McCree groaned as the pleasure quickly became torture. He grabbed Hanzo's hair and helped him along, having him move even faster.</p><p>Hanzo continued dutifully, reaching up with his left hand to play with McCree's nipple once more. The cowboy's body twitched repeatedly on and off at all the sensations he was feeling.</p><p><em>I've wanted him for so long, and here he is, like some sorta dream. I hope this dream becomes reality though and that I can tell him exactly how I feel...</em> he thought as he lay there and let himself be pleasured.</p><p>A couple more moans escaped him, along with a few breathy sounds and his hand tightened in Hanzo's hair just before he came.</p><p>Hanzo could feel McCree twitching inside of his mouth and went slightly faster, taking him all the way in his mouth just before he came and swallowing. When he raised his head and shot McCree a fierce smile, McCree's eyes widened in shock.</p><p>"Goddamn, Hanzo... you're wild," he exclaimed. Hanzo scoffed playfully and wiped his lower lip with one finger, collecting the cum that almost escaped.</p><p>"And I was under the impression that an outlaw would have more fight in him," he joked, narrowing his eyes and slowly licking the cum off of his finger. Jesse's eyes widened ever so slightly and the lust rose within him as he watched Hanzo's tongue dance across his digit, but he hesitated.</p><p>"Sorry... I just... don't know how to approach you sometimes..." the cowboy admitted, turning his head ever so slightly. Hanzo tilted his head at the downtrodden man and sat up straight, hanging onto his every word and hoping it would help him remember at least the tiniest fragment of what was lost.</p><p>"Before... I tried once to approach you in that sort of way and you said I accosted you. As much as I'd like to, I just really don't want to do anything wrong by you." McCree stopped as he was met by silence, and he glanced worriedly up at the stern, Japanese man, who was now staring off into space.</p><p>Hanzo's mouth had dropped open as the word "accosted" had escaped McCree's lips. He remembered kicking the burly American off of him as they threatened to come close to each other just after the rabbit was taken care of. He frowned as he recalled just how harsh he had been towards the gunslinger.</p><p>He also remembered his disregard for McCree's feelings in that moment as he held a gun on him, fearful that they would be discovered if Hanzo had left the cave.</p><p><em>“You won’t shoot me. Your finger isn’t even on the trigger. And if you ever threaten me again, I’ll make sure it is the last time you do so,”</em> he recalled snarling before he exited the cave.</p><p>Hanzo put a hand to his lips, deep in thought about his actions. When he dared to meet McCree's anxious gaze, his heart began to pound and his breath caught in his throat as he tried to get the words out.</p><p><em>What is this?</em> he asked himself frantically. <em>Just before I remembered this, I was able to speak with him with ease, but now... it is as though—</em></p><p>"Hanzo? You good?" McCree asked, cutting into the dark-haired archer's thoughts. Hanzo stroked his goatee nervously and then nodded slowly.</p><p>"I merely... needed a moment. I apologise. I... I just have a headache. This has all just hit me very hard," he admitted, putting a hand to his now-aching head.</p><p>"Whoa there... let's go ahead and go to sleep for now. You need to rest and take it easy."</p><p>"I... can't." Hanzo turned away from McCree entirely now. The cowboy sighed deeply as he remembered why Hanzo didn't want to go to sleep. McCree ran a hand through his brown hair, gathered his courage, and reached out towards Hanzo, placing a hand on his shoulder.</p><p>"Look, for what it's worth, I'm here, and I'll be here for you when you wake up," he vowed. Hanzo's head turned back slightly in his direction.</p><p>"And... if I don't?"</p><p>"You will. I know it, just like I knew you'd wake up today. Even if you take a little longer to get up, I'll be here waitin' for you."</p><p>Hanzo turned back to fix the cowboy with an incredulous look as he searched his eyes. McCree smiled warmly as he gazed into Hanzo's dark brown eyes. Unable to find the right words to say, Hanzo merely nodded his head and lay down in the bed, pulling the covers over himself. </p><p>McCree's eyes widened as he realised the archer would be sharing a bed with him. A flush crept across his cheeks as dirty thoughts began to seep into his mind, but he quickly cleared his throat, lay down facing the opposite direction of Hanzo, and murmured a quick "goodnight" to him.</p><p>Hanzo grunted in response, still unable to express himself in the way he wanted. He wanted the cowboy badly, but he had no idea how to approach him.</p><p><em>This was not so difficult a short while ago! Why should it be so hard now? Better yet, what are we to each other? That much was unclear...</em> he wondered as he stared off ahead of him towards his cot.</p><p><em>Wait... that is my cot. Then where...</em> </p><p>Hanzo's eyes widened in shock as he realised that he had impulsively made it clear that he was going to sleep with McCree in his bed. His head began to throb now from the overall stress. Meanwhile McCree was struggling with his feelings and wondering if he should match Hanzo's spontenuity.</p><p>Finally, unable to restrain himself any longer, McCree slid his body flush against Hanzo's, wrapping his Human right arm around him while his mechanical left arm grabbed Hanzo's ponytal, yanking his head back towards him and kissing his neck at the same time.</p><p>A light grunt of surprise escaped the startled man, and McCree chuckled into Hanzo's ear, sending shivers down his spine.</p><p>"Looks like you were almost eager for this, Shimada." McCree's warm breath brushed against Hanzo's right ear making him twitch with pleasure and anticipation, which only doubled as he gave the archer's ear a quick nip.</p><p>"Wh-what happened to us going to sleep and resting after a hard day?" Hanzo fought his pleasure to say. McCree chuckled darkly and leaned in even closer to his ear.</p><p>"Fuck sleep. Besides, don't you know that sex is the best cure for a headache?"<br/>
Jesse pulled Hanzo around to face him, sat the two of them upright, and wrapped his Mechanical arm around the small of his back, bringing him in for a rough, messy kiss.</p><p>Their bodies pressed against each other and Jesse broke off from the kiss to bite Hanzo’s neck, using his other hand to toy with the archer's left nipple through his t-shirt. A small moan escaped Hanzo, making him blush even harder than he already was, but he would not be outdone.</p><p>He grabbed McCree by the lovehandles and yanked the cowboy towards him, still kissing him on and off and grinning wildly as the burly man's hands wandered lustfully. Then, McCree yanked Hanzo's shirt off, and pulled the hair tie out of his coal-black hair almost simultaneously.</p><p>One hand ran through Hanzo's hair while the other grabbed at the front of Hanzo's pyjama pants and gave a firm tug. He kissed the archer once more before trailing his kiss down towards the man's nipple, biting and sucking along the way.</p><p>When he arrived at his destination, he bit and sucked Hanzo's left nipple roughly while he toyed with Hanzo's steadily growing erection atop his PJ pants. Hanzo let out a low groan and melted into the cowboy's touch, almost being swept away by the sensations he felt.</p><p>McCree kept up his torment by removing his hand from the top of Hanzo's crotch and slowly inching it into the waistband of his pants before stopping.</p><p>"Wh-what are-what are you doing?" Hanzo demanded, panting heavily. McCree gave him a mock pouting expression and scrunched his face up.</p><p>"Well... it would seem like your pants are still on. I can't do anything else while they're... y'know... in the way like that," McCree hinted.</p><p>"I thought..." Hanzo swallowed hard and took a deep breath to calm himself before staring McCree dead in the eyes. "I was under the impression that an outlaw takes whatever he wants."</p><p>McCree chuckled breathily and narrowed his eyes.</p><p>Hanzo could see a spark in them; a sort of dangerous-looking fire to his eyes as the cowboy declared, "Could do, but... the real question is: how much of an outlaw do you want me to be tonight?" </p><p>He shot Hanzo a toothy grin, and Hanzo's eyes widened ever so slightly as the impulsive words, "Give me everything you have got," poured from his mouth. His eyes widened further as McCree's eyes burned brighter, despite being dark as sin. In one fell swoop, the outlaw was upon him. </p><p>McCree grabbed both of Hanzo's hands in his mechanical hand and threw them against the wall. He leaned over to his nightstand, opened a drawer, and grabbed some rope, tying Hanzo's hands together at breakneck pace and then pulling him backwards towards a framed Western movie poster of his that hung above the bed. He pulled the poster off the wall and placed it aside, revealing a large, sturdy hook, which he then plopped Hanzo's roped hands onto. </p><p>The archer struggled uselessly, panting heavily as McCree stared down at him with shadowy, lustful eyes. Then, McCree leaned down and kissed him roughly, his tongue forcing his way into Hanzo's mouth and stealing his breath away while his hands moved skillfully to remove Hanzo's pants.</p><p>Finally, he yanked them off along with Hanzo's briefs and grabbed Hanzo's face forcefully in one meaty hand.</p><p>"So that's what you were hidin' from me then, eh?" he demanded gruffly, "Don't you know that outlaws always get the goods?" McCree ducked his head down and bit him roughly in the neck before straddling him, his Human hand moving down to toy with Hanzo's cock.</p><p>Hanzo moaned lightly at the sensations he was feeling and McCree licked the side of the archer's neck. After a while of toying with Hanzo and teasing him relentlessly, he flipped him over, repositioning his arms on the wall so that he was lying there, mostly flat with his ass in the air.</p><p>He reached over to the nightstand and pulled out a small container of lube, slathering his hands with it and rubbing it along his own cock and Hanzo's entrance.</p><p>"Oh I can't wait to hear the sounds you're gonna make for me," the outlaw purred in a dark, gruff voice. Hanzo's face flushed with heat and the heat doubled as McCree jammed two fingers into him.</p><p>A small moan escaped him and he chided himself silently for his outburst. A dark chuckle rumbled through McCree's chest and he leaned in close to Hanzo's ear.</p><p>"Wow, Shimada, you sure are pretty tight. Let's see if I can loosen you up a bit," he purred, gyrating his fingers and locating Hanzo's prostate. Hanzo shivered with pleasure and let out a light grunt as McCree went even harder against his prostate.</p><p>McCree toyed with Hanzo for a long while, pleasuring him well until he was on the very brink of release, then he stopped, relishing in the sight of the strong archer reduced to a panting, sweating mess. He leaned over the Japanese man, wrapping both arms around him and put his head against Hanzo's.</p><p>"How badly do you want me, Hanzo?" he asked. Hanzo turned his head away from him and McCree clicked his tongue in disappointment. "Not badly enough, it would seem... Looks like I need to do a bit more work."</p><p>He grabbed Hanzo's dick with his Human hand, still leaning over him and shoved his two metal fingers back inside of Hanzo's ass, making them vibrate wildly. Hanzo let out a cry of pleasure and just as he was about to orgasm, McCree stopped altogether.</p><p>Hanzo yelled in frustration, thrashing ever so slightly as he came down from the almost-high.</p><p>"Oh, I'm sorry, Hanzo, was I supposed to continue?" McCree mocked him. "I didn't quite hear you answer the question I asked ya." McCree leaned over him again and bit his ear. <br/>
Hanzo, still panting profusely, yanked his head away from McCree's and the cowboy let out a low growl.</p><p>"Alright, Shimada. Let's dance." Once again, McCree repeated his previous actions, bringing Hanzo closer and closer to the brink of orgasm before stopping altogether.</p><p>This time, Hanzo let out a loud, bitter cry and breathed heavily, struggling to calm down.</p><p>"Let's try this again, shall we?" McCree asked again with impatience in his voice. "How badly do you want me, Hanzo?"</p><p>Hanzo finally had slowed his breathing down and turned his head to glare at the gunslinger.</p><p>"Untie me, and I will show you," he demanded. They stared at each other for awhile, McCree drawn in by the intensity of his gaze, until finally, the former outlaw let out a light scoff and started to remove Hanzo's hands from the hook.</p><p>"Ha! You'd better, Shimada." As soon as the ropes were untied, Hanzo unleashed himself upon McCree, grabbing him and ferociously slamming him down into the bed.<br/>
McCree's eyes widened in shock and he raised his hands to block the archer, but Hanzo quickly pinned them above his head and scowled at him. </p><p>"A true Shimada takes what they want. No teasing, no begging; they just charge in ruthlessly and take it," he informed McCree, shoving his arms back roughly and leaning in to kiss him hard.</p><p>He shoved his tongue down the cowboy's throat and silently celebrated the muffled moans McCree was making as he fought the outlaw for dominance. Then, Hanzo grabbed the bottle of lube and put some in his hands before rubbing them along McCree's dick.</p><p>Another low moan escaped the cowboy, but it only intensified as Hanzo slid McCree inside of himself and began to ride him hard. McCree pulled Hanzo off of him and sat up onto his knees, turning the archer around and pulling him back towards him, allowing Hanzo to ride him once more.</p><p>McCree toyed with Hanzo's nipples with one hand while his Human hand stroked his dick. As McCree's breathing sped up, Hanzo went even faster, panting hard and tilting his head back, exposing his neck.</p><p>McCree immediatly seized his chance and wrapped one hand around Hanzo's chest, pulling him more tightly against his body as he bit his neck. A shiver of pleasure rolled through Hanzo and he moaned as he was close to his climax.</p><p>"McCree," he rasped, gyrating harder.</p><p>"I know..." Jesse answered him breathily, pulling him closer. He stroked Hanzo's dick more firmly and sped up his pace, causing Hanzo to do the same.</p><p>Hanzo's climax came first, explosive, loud, and powerful. McCree aimed it upwards and it shot across Hanzo's chest as he groaned loudly in pleasure. He stopped riding McCree for just a moment before remembering that the cowboy still hadn't been pleasured.</p><p>Hanzo turned around and faced him now, inserting his dick back inside of him and riding him hard and fast. He stared into his eyes with a burning intensity that was full of determination. He was going to pleasure McCree, no matter what.</p><p>A hazy, lustful look of longing appeared in McCree's eyes, as he was once again turned on by Hanzo's intensity, and the gunslinger pulled Hanzo into him, kissing him roughly. Their tongues crashed against each other, fighting for dominance as they struggled to push into the other's throat.</p><p>Finally, several low, muffled moans of pleasure escaped McCree and Hanzo stopped kissing him and bit into the side of his neck, riding him even harder and bunching his fingers through the cowboy's sandy-brown hair.</p><p>"Fuck! Hanzo, agh!" McCree cried out, letting out several gasps before his release. Hanzo could feel McCree's cum spray into him, and he grinned wolfishly at the cowboy and slowed his movements down, drawing them out and causing McCree to twitch in pleasure and bring him back in for a softer series of kisses.</p><p>At the end, McCree slowly slid out of Hanzo and the cum dripped out of him slowly. McCree walked over to the restroom and got a damp towel for him and Hanzo cleaned himself off.</p><p>"So, uh... how was it? I mean... was it...?" McCree asked, scratching his head with embarrassment as his cheeks flushed with heat. He felt foolish, seeking approval like that; it felt like his first time again. Hanzo tossed the towel to the side and grinned.</p><p>"It was fun," Hanzo admitted, pulling his briefs back on and falling back onto the bed. He lay back with his elbows behind his head and smiled over at McCree. McCree gaped at him with an airy look on his face before grinning brightly and then clearing his throat.</p><p>"And, how's your headache?" McCree asked. Hanzo chuckled and smiled brightly.</p><p>"What headache?" he joked. McCree's face reddened ever so slightly in pride, though he quickly masked his emotions with an excuse.</p><p>"Well we'd better get some sleep. We've got training to do tomorrow. Just light training since you're still recoverin' but I'm not gonna go easy on ya," McCree informed him.</p><p>"Hmph, I should hope not, outlaw," Hanzo flirted as he rolled over and pulled the covers over him. McCree chuckled lightly and lay down next to him.</p><p><em>Good night, Shimada... Hope you remember whatever it is you've lost.</em> he silently prayed. <em>And I hope that you remember how you feel for me so I can ask you about it sometime soon.</em></p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0013"><h2>13. PICKING UP THE TRAIL</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Blizzard owns Overwatch, but I own this story! Hope you enjoy it! :)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Gabriel Reyes groaned loudly as a harsh beeping pried him away from his comfortable sleep. He let out a low growl and his hand clenched around his gun as he toyed with the idea of shooting his alarm clock to oblivion. Even so, he knew he had to train because of the possibility of Akande sending him on another mission soon. Rather than shoot it, he slammed his closed fist down against the alarm clock.</p><p><em>Fuck... too hard...</em> he realised as he withdrew it and scraps of plastic and metal that had imprinted their shape into the bottom of his fist fell from it and clattered against his bedroom floor.</p><p>He sighed deeply as he sat up in his bed, and took steady breaths to calm the blood that boiled in his veins. Every morning, he did this ritual meditation, and every morning it kept him stable, or rather... as close to stable as he could ever hope to be again after Moira's experimentation.</p><p>"Keep calm... don't let the new instinct take control... breathe..." he reminded himself.</p><p>Moira O'Deorain had turned him into a monster, that much was certain, but even so, he didn't blame her because it was necessary. After the Soldier Enhancement Program, and after Reyes had stopped being useful to them, Overwatch abandoned him. The government made him aware that he was dying as a result of the effects of the SEP, but what they hadn't told him was that there was a cure, and that it was reserved for none other than Strike Commander Jack Morrison.</p><p>Reyes grinned as he recalled bringing Moira into Blackwatch. Genji and McCree didn't approve, but he was the commander, not them.</p><p><em>"Commander Reyes... You do know that there are certain... risks that come with experimentation, yes?" </em>she had asked him as he began to unbutton his shirt.</p><p><em>"I'm well aware, O'Deorain, and I accept the risks,"</em> he responded curtly as he tossed his shirt on a nearby chair and awaited testing.</p><p>
  <em>"And do you understand that... genetics can be quite... fickle? Meaning that I can't be entirely sure how this will affect you, only that I know it can make you stronger."</em>
</p><p><em>"I get it. Now, get on with it. Without your treatment and experimentation, I'll die. I'm your personal lab Human and I accept responsibility for whatever happens," </em>Reyes had said curtly, staring her straight in the eyes.</p><p>She grinned at him; the scientific curiosity in her eyes replaced by cold, dark, intent as she murmured, <em>"Brilliant,"</em> and got to work.</p><p>Reyes let out a long, drawn-out sigh and raised his head. The reddish-purple glowing veins in his face and throughout the rest of his body were starting to die down in intensity and his eyes stopped glowing a crimson red and reverted back to their original dark brown. He quickly put on his usual suit; black leather pants, black combat boots, a thick, black leather chest armour, a black leather cloak, and several utility belts that had very large caliber shotgun shells attached to them, and placed his white falcon-skull looking mask upon his face. He then donned his metal-clawed gauntlets and flexed his fingers before balling his hands into fists.</p><p>"Time for the day to begin," he said; his voice changed into something metallic and monstrous now that his mask was over his face. It was too risky to ever show a part of himself to anyone, even in Talon. Sombra knew who he was, as well as Akande, Widowmaker, and Moira, but apart from them, no one else was aware that he was once Commander Gabriel Reyes of Overwatch. And if they did, there was no telling what fresh sort of hell that would unleash.</p><p>He headed towards the training room, going over his routine in his head as he walked. Then, a voice startled him and he let out a low growl.</p><p>"So, how'd you break your alarm clock this time? Did you shoot it again? Throw it in the tub? Rip it apart with your bare hands?" Sombra appeared out of nowhere, her purple ombre brown hair waving playfully as she grinned at him slyly.</p><p>"What do you want, Sombra?" he demanded in an annoyed tone of voice.</p><p>"I heard Akande has a job for you, Gabe. You excited to be back in action?" </p><p>"Well, I'll be sure to hear it straight from Akande," Reyes bit back, scowling at her through his mask. "Also, if you keep sneaking up on me, one of these days you might not survive the encounter."</p><p>"Oh, come on, Gabriel... I thought we were friends! We've worked together for years now." She shot him a mock expression of pouting and placed her hands on her hips.</p><p>Reyes stopped in his tracks and sighed deeply, turning to face her.</p><p>"I'm not sure what we are, but we are definitely not friends. Friends don't keep secrets, now do they?"</p><p>As Sombra went to deny anything, Reaper pointed one clawed finger at her and declared, "I <em>know </em>what you did back at Volskaya Industries and how you purposefully kept Katya alive."</p><p>Sombra clicked her tongue chidingly.</p><p>"Aww, come now, Gabriel... I was going to tell you in due time. You are my friend, after all. Besides, I figured Katya would be a lot more useful alive than dead."</p><p>"That wasn't your decision to make," Reyes snarled. Then, he sighed deeply and added, "Try to stick to the plan, Sombra, or else I'm not sure if our... <em>friendship </em>will last much longer."</p><p>Sombra hung back as Reyes kept heading towards the practice rooms. Two guards around the corner saluted him and he gave one back. As he rounded the next corner, a Talon grunt holding a clipboard approached him and gave him a salute.</p><p>"At ease, soldier. What do you have for me?" Reyes asked.</p><p>"Doomfist needs you in the council room right away, sir," the young soldier declared. Reyes nodded and headed straight there.</p><p><em>So much for my training this morning. Hopefully this will be a mission worth my time.</em> he thought bitterly.</p><p>When he arrived at the oak double doors, Reyes sighed deeply and pushed them open, walking in and taking a seat across from Akande, as he was the only other person in the room.</p><p>"It is good to see you, Gabriel. How have you been?" the large, African man greeted him, holding up a hand in a friendly expression.</p><p>"Never better, Akande. What've you got?"</p><p>Akande arched one black eyebrow and grinned.</p><p>"Straight to it then? Good. You always have been a man of action," he praised Reyes, holding up his communications device. He slid it across the table to Reyes and ran a hand across his smooth head. "Read it."</p><p>Reyes caught the device in his hands and turned it over. Outwardly, he showed no emotion whatsoever due to the bone-white mask that covered his face, but beneath it, his face was contorted in a mixture of shock, confusion, and excitement hit him like a truck.</p><p>The message he held was one requesting backup and reporting in that Jesse McCree had been located. Reyes was on a mission to get revenge on all Overwatch members, killing them one-by-one as he discovered them, but Jesse was like a son to him.</p><p>Reyes took a deep breath to clear his mind and sighed deeply as he realised what had to be done.</p><p><em>I need to treat this like any other mission. I'm not the same man I used to be. That life is gone. He'll die by my hand just like the others have. </em>he told himself.</p><p>"I'd like to leave immediately," Reyes declared, sliding Akande's comm device back across the table to him.</p><p>"I figured you would. When you get there, there will be a small platoon of Talon soldiers at your command for this mission," Akande said. </p><p>Reyes stood up, nodded, and headed for the doors, about to leave when Akande spoke up once more.</p><p>"Oh and Reyes..."</p><p>He leaned forward in his seat and put his hands together, interlocking his fingers and narrowing his eyes at the darkly-dressed man.</p><p>"Try to take McCree <em>alive</em>, would you? Of course, if he presents a problem, you know what to do."</p><p>"Understood," Reyes responded, walking out of the dark council room.</p><p>Within the hour, he had recruited a pilot and Talon's fastest aircraft and landed at the coordinates from Akande's message. As he stepped out of the aircraft, he found himself outside of a small, worn-looking shack in the middle of the dusty, hot desert. It was off the beaten path and made for a good little hideout.</p><p>
  <em>This place definitely would be like home to him. It's away from people, it's in a hot climate, and it's small. Suits his quaint, country tastes.</em>
</p><p>He walked around to the front of the house and spotted his platoon disposing of the bodies of fallen Talon members. He approached two of them, who were carrying a bulky Talon Trooper, and they set the dead man down and saluted him.</p><p>"What happened here?" Reyes demanded, looking around curiously.</p><p>"We've gone over the scene several times now. It looks like this definitely was where McCree was staying. The previous platoon tried to take McCree by surprise, but he wasn't alone," one of the Troopers declared, calling over another trooper who was inside of the shack.</p><p>The other trooper rushed over with a high-tech arrow and handed it to Reyes.</p><p>"We found a few of these lodged in our guys from the other platoon," he explained. "They're really good quality arrows. I went ahead and scanned this arrow to see if there were any materials it could be identified with. Turns out it was made in Hanamura, Japan."</p><p>Reyes's eyes widened behind his mask as he began to put the pieces together.</p><p><em>Talon has come across Hanzo Shimada a few times. Akande and Amélie both have tried to recruit him, but he refused to join. Could he have joined Overwatch instead? </em>Reyes pondered.</p><p>He sighed and shook his head.</p><p>
  <em>No, there's no way. It wouldn't fit his personality or his career as an assassin. He's no team player. Overwatch doesn't suit him. I need to head inside and see if I can learn more about this.</em>
</p><p>He walked inside the shack and gazed around at the humble, messy little dwelling.</p><p><em>The kid sure didn't change much. He's still a fucking slob.</em> he mused as he looked down at a broken glass. He spied an arrow nearby and reenacted the scene within his mind.</p><p>
  <em>McCree was drinking... and Shimada... shot him with an arrow? No... there's no blood... so he tried to? No, Shimada would not have missed unless he intended to. He shot the glass out of his hand. He wanted something from McCree, but what was it...?</em>
</p><p>"Sir, I have an update for you," one of the troopers said, interrupting his thoughts, "we checked our maps and found a nearby town. I sent someone to go check it out and they discovered that Hanzo Shimada had been asking around about McCree. Only, here in this town, he goes by Joel. We also found out that he rented a motorcycle from a place called 'The Dust Bowl.'"</p><p>"Did it have a tracking device on it?"</p><p>"Already taken care of," the trooper said, handing Reyes the GPS tracker. It was somewhere in the canyons in the middle of the desert.</p><p>"Good work. We'll leave soon. I just want to look around a bit more and see if there's anything else I can find."</p><p>He left the living room, sneered at the kitchen, and then headed into McCree's bedroom, freezing as he spotted the cowboy's hat lying on the bed. Reyes slowly picked it up, holding it in his hands and turning it around to see the buckle and bullets on the front of it.</p><p>An involuntary chuckle left him as he began to remember the past.</p><p><em>"I'm glad you're here too, kid," </em>Reyes had said to a young Jesse McCree as he hugged him tightly. It was the day he had given McCree his hat and BAMF belt.</p><p><em>He wore them both every damn day; even on missions, whenever he could get away with it. </em>Reyes rubbed the brass buckle with the sheet on the bed to make it shine before staring into it once more in reminiscence.</p><p>When he saw his own reflection, the Reaper, within the buckle, he was reminded of what had to be done.</p><p>
  <em>It doesn't matter what we used to mean to each other. It doesn't matter because he has to die. Besides... he left his hat here. If that isn't the biggest 'fuck you' ever, then I don't know what is. That damned ingrate is gonna get what's coming to him.</em>
</p><p>A low growl escaped Reaper's throat and reddish purple flames began to emanate from him as he clutched the hat angrily, slowly squeezing it in his hands.</p><p>"Sir, are you almost ready for departure?" a trooper asked him, swallowing hard as he noticed the Reaper's deadly demeanour.</p><p>He collected himself and turned back around.</p><p>"Of course," he declared, "we'll leave right away. It's time to return McCree's hat to him. He must be <em>dying </em>to get it back."</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Bits of References I used:<br/>--Reference to the comic "Petty 20" by Gunslaughter Art @gunnslaughter<br/>--Direct Quotes from Overwatch "Dragons" Short Film<br/>--Overwatch "Joel" reference<br/>--I mean... I wrote the actual description of the scene that happened in the Overwatch 2 Teaser, but the actual scene itself belongs to Blizzard lol definitely</p></blockquote></div></div>
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